


Missing

by Mysteryred



Series: Zoe [5]
Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-20
Updated: 2015-11-22
Packaged: 2018-05-02 14:14:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 28,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5251199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mysteryred/pseuds/Mysteryred
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Donnie took the kids on a nature hike, but will all of them make it home? I do not own TMNT. Be sure you've read the whole series or you'll be confused, because I jump right in.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Donatello**

I stretch in my sleeping bag, sit up and feel my age. Not that watching Rachel and her cousins grow hasn't reminded me every day that I'm getting older. At the same time, keeping up with the demands of parenting, and my role as both their primary educator and physician have kept me… spry, fresh, sharp? I suppress a groan. My neck, stiff from sleeping on the ground, may not agree with me.

The scent of coffee carries amid the chill of a mid-fall breeze, right into my nostrils. I can almost taste its bold-rich flavor. I glance at Michelangelo, lifting a carafe from the small coffee pot we'd packed on this excursion. He pours me a cup before I can ask.

"Thanks, little brother." I take a sip of the deep black brew, enjoying the bitter-yet-nutty flavor. A cursory scan of the campsite shows me three tents, still zipped tight. "All of them still asleep?"

Mike grins. "Ya know, kids don't really wake up to the smell of coffee."

I chuckle. "No, but something tells me you know just what to do."

"I got this," Michelangelo's head bobs, as he leans back and swipes his finger over the screen of his iPod. It's wired to a speaker that does not pop and crack to life, instead goes straight to belting out the lyrics to 'I'm Gonna Be'.

Noah and Gray's heads pop of out of the younger boys' tent, big smiles on their eleven year-old faces. They emerge from the pine-green enclosure, leaving both of Gray's brothers still inside.

"Good morning, Uncle Mikey, Uncle Donnie!" Gray chirps, as he follows Noah to where Michelangelo is frying breakfast meat, and eggs, on a Bunson burner. My subconscious laughs every time Noah and Gray do anything together. It's like Michelangelo multiplied, they both look so much like him, only Gray's eyes are… well, gray… and of course, he's one of Zoe and Raph's bunch.

"Morning, Dad," Noah says, shifting on his feet, while scratching his spring-green elbow.

"Morning, boys." Mike scoops scrambled eggs from a pan, onto two paper plates. "Want bacon?"

I watch as both boys load up their plates, and pour cups of juice so full I think they might spill over. Gray's sloshes over the lip of the cup, as he sidles over to the log, they've been using for a table. Noah follows. The two chatting, about the meteor shower we observed last night.

Apparently, their favorite part was still roasting marshmallows. Of course, nothing could beat that. I sip my coffee, just stopping myself from snorting in my cup.

The song ends and Mikey starts it over, setting it to repeat.

My eye ridges lift. That ought to irritate the rest of our lot. My gaze shifts to the girl's tent.

My daughter's yellow nail-polished fingers grip the bottom zipper as she opens the door, already complaining. "Really, Uncle Mikey, isn't there another song on your playlist?"

"Sure, lot's of'em, Rach. But this one," he looks at the forest surrounding us, "well it just fits. Cas' it sure feels like we've walked five hundred miles." He hands her an empty plate, which she accepts, but she wrinkles her nose as he motions to each the sausage and bacon.

Michelangelo knows them each well, and has asked her, just to see her make that face. He lifts the lid on the collapsible cooler and pulls out an apple and string cheese.

Her brown eyes sparkle, as a playful smile toys at the corners of her lips. She shoves a lock of red hair behind her ear then lowers her plate to accept his offerings. "Why are you always teasing me, Uncle Mikey?"

"I wasn't teasing. You never know. You could wake up one morning and decide that eating pigs is okay, and I won't judge you for that." He feigns seriousness, his blue eyes dancing with the same light they always have.

She rolls her eyes. "I've been a vegetarian since I was six. I don't think it's going to change today."

Mikey snickers. "Yep, I made all my major life choices by the time I was eleven, too."

Oh Mike, now you're heading for trouble.

I clear my throat right as Rachel's eyebrows shoot together, and her thin pink lips part. She glances at me and snaps her mouth shut, then snatches her apple from her plate and bites into it.

As Rachel sits at the opposite end of the log from the boys, movement in the tree line catches my eye.

A breeze rustles colorful leaves from branches that are preparing to slip into a winter slumber, but with that stirring the scent of jasmine drifts toward me.

"Rachel," I call to my daughter.

She looks over her shoulder, and raises her eyebrows. "Mmm?"

"Was Midori in the tent with you this morning?" I ask her.

Michelangelo leans toward the girls' tent then he glances in the younger boys. "Uh, D?"

Rachel's eyes narrow.

"Rachel?" I press, getting to my feet. This will be the second time this camping trip, they've been warned. My daughter points to her full mouth then holds up a hand as if she's helpless to speak for the food stuffed in it.

There's a churning in my stomach, my heart picking up pace. I take a deep breath, reminding myself that while Midori's not in the tent, and that it was probably her scent and movement I just caught, she's not gone as far as the first time.

Still, I find my teeth clenching, as I push back the boy's tent flap and find Hisao is gone as well. It's the damn sneaking around that gets under my shell. Kei bolts upright, slamming a book shut and shoving it under his pillow.

His brown eyes dart around before meeting mine. "Good morning, Uncle Dona—Don—Donnie."

I try not to roll my eyes, but he's a guilty mess. I hold out a hand. "Hand it over, Kei. You know your parents don't want you reading such serious material at your age."

Kei flashes me a nervous, gap-tooth grin and I try my best not to smile. His olive-toned cheeks flush just beneath his eyes. His shoulders slump as he reaches under the pillow. He hands me his copy of Huckleberry Finn, but as I open it I find the book cut out, holding folded internet printouts containing animal and human genetics research instead.

The boy may be Raph and Zoe's child, but he takes after me more than my own daughter. Problem with that is, he wants to research… us. While Zoe and Raph just want him to enjoy being a kid.

I challenge him with extra studies, but after he near exploded the kitchen— Okay, he kind of did. And Leo just barely got him out in time. Since then, I've had to choose his projects, oversee them, and monitor his access to my lab with diligence.

"Uh, D?" Mikey repeats, swallowing hard then looking from the girl's tent to me.

I turn to face Kei again, speaking to Mikey as I hunch inside the boys' tent. "I know, I know, Midori and Hisao have snuck off to train again. I thought I saw her just in the tree-line. I don't think they went as far as last time." I peruse the pages Kei has printed off, select two that I think will be okay, and hand those back to him.

"Thank you, Uncle Donnie." He accepts them with eager hands and curious eyes.

"You're welcome. Next time, just let me review what you want to study. I will help you find the right material." As I pat his shoulder, Mikey crowds me in the doorway of the tiny triangle.

"D!" he yells, even though he's right beside me.

I close my eyes and take a breath. "Mikey, you don't have to yell. We'll find them, I don't—"

But Michelangelo interrupts me, "Drea's gone too."

My spine straightens, my heart picking up a strange, uncomfortable beat. Of the kids, three in particular get into the most trouble. Andrea, Midori, and— "Did you check Antonello's tent?"

"I don't think I want to," Mikey squeaks.

Dammit. I elbow my brother out of my way, stand, and take two steps to the only tent that remains unopened.


	2. Chapter 2

**Donatello**

I stare at the empty tent, bare of any sign of Antonello. Not so much as an untouched bedroll remains. "Is Andrea's sleeping bag still in the girl's tent?"

"Yeah, that's a good sign, right?"

No. In this case, it's a terrible sign.

As Mikey moves to press his head in Antonello's tent beside me, I back away, standing to look around the campground.

"You okay, D?" Mikey's head disappears in Anton's tent then he lets out a low whistle. "That—is not—good."

I count heads. They aren't gone. They aren't. I swallow. He didn't do this. One. Two. Three. Four. Four kids. I should have eight. My stomach hardens into a knot. Surely, he knows. He must.

"Rachel," I call my daughter, my voice tight, my lips moving, but I am so inside my own head, reeling with a thousand different scenarios, that I sound strange to myself.

I must sound off to her too. She drops her apple core and looks at me. "Yeah, Dad?"

"I'm going to ask you some questions. And you will answer me, wholly and truthfully. Do you understand me?" I pin her with my eyes and she straightens.

"Yes, sir."

They know better than to cover for each other. They know better than to stray from camp. They know better than to run away, not that they have any reason to. And they'd damn well better know they're little sister is following them. Okay, so most of those things only apply to Antonello. What is he thinking?

"Do you know where Hisao and Midori are?" I do not look away. I'm capable of telling when she's lying. It's Antonello who's gotten so good at it that only Raph and Zoe can tell. That's why they were so nervous about letting him come along. But good behavior earned each of them the privilege of attending our annual science hike. My chest tightens.

She looks away, her gaze dropping to the pile of leaves under her shoe. "Yes, sir."

Gray and Noah stop talking, Kei coming alongside them.

"Is Andrea with them?" Please say yes. Please say yes. Please—

"No, sir. I don't know where Andrea is." Rachel's voice is soft. She tugs on a lock of hair, twirling it between her fingers and keeping her gaze to the ground.

"Rachel, go with Michelangelo and show him where Midori and Hisao are. Gray, Noah, and Kei, I need you to take down the tents." I close my eyes, dreading my next move.

"What are you going to do, Uncle Donnie?" Gray frowns.

I take a deep breath then look at Michelangelo.

Antonello, on the run. Why? I don't know. But I do know this. If he doesn't want to be found— with his skill—his training, and his stealth… I swallow. Anton will have planned this. He'll have supplies, a route. Andrea, on the other hand, appears to be trailing him. And she didn't take a damn thing with her. "I'll make the call."

**Zoe**

Early morning light seeps in through the walk-out doors, casting a soft golden-glow over the painted concrete floor. I curl my toes in my fuzzy slippers, grateful for their warmth. I lift my phone from the kitchenette counter, checking the time. Seven in the morning. Donnie will be getting the kids up.

Any time now, I should be getting my good morning text from Andrea, telling me everything's okay. My heart swells at thought of my small brood. The triplets are as matched up mentally to their uncles, as they are physically. I'm not sure if it worked out that way because of their birth, and the bond that followed with each uncle as a result, or if it was genetics. But it doesn't really matter.

The triplets are happy, and overall well-behaved... for the most part. Gray will get into playful mischief, Hisao is obsessed with training, Kei can't stop studying, and all three will go to rule-breaking lengths to fulfill their passions. But they aren't wicked children, certainly not spoiled. And they aren't the only ones to bend the rules now and then.

Andrea is kind of in a strange place, trying to figure out who she wants to be. She's an exceptional gymnast, and among her siblings and cousins is unmatched with a bo-staff. My little girl is gone though, she hit puberty two years ago, and with it, her close relationship with Raph seemed to stumble. Only it hasn't regrouped the way I hoped.

" _What do you mean she needs—" he balked, waving his hands at the plastic bag on the kitchen table. "That—stuff." His green eyes were glossy and bright, his mouth bowed in a frown that sent a pang straight to my heart._

" _SHHH! Raph, shush. You're being way too loud. There's almost twenty people living in this house, and you're screaming away her privacy like it's a public service announcement. Calm down."_

_His eyes darted to the bag. He swallowed, stepped away from it, and rubbed the back of his head. "She's just a kid. She can't be needing that— stuff." His shoulders slumped, and he swallowed. "Not my baby girl."_

He ended up not knowing how to act around her anymore. I rub my hands together, gazing through the door. All he had to do was act the same, if he could just figure out how. But she certainly didn't help him with it.

" _Dad! Oh, my god. Seriously? I just want to take a walk. We've lived here our whole lives and there's a whole world out there, and all I'm ever going to see of it, if it's up to you, is the backyard! Antonello gets to go on certain trails by himself, and up until last week you let me go too. What the hell changed?" She leveled her eyes on him, straightened, and popped a hand on a hip that seemed to have become curvy overnight._

_I watched as Raph opened his mouth, and rammed his foot so far down his throat I thought he might've found his stomach. "First of all, don't swear at me! Since when is that okay? And—what? You hit puberty and turn into Miley Cyrus?" He eyed her cut-off shorts, and cropped tank, then leaned over, looked her in the eye. "Are you on drugs? I swear I will drug test you."_

_I'd had to watch like Michelangelo would've, with my hands over my eyes, peeking through my fingers._

" _Are you for real? How can I get drugs, I'm not allowed to leave the house! I'm not even allowed to have friends outside our family!"_

_Raph scowled. "Damn right. If you can't leave the house I—" he held up a finger, "one, don't have to worry about drugs," he held up another finger, "and two, don't have to worry about boys," he thought for a second, then shrugged, "that about covers it. So we're good here."_

" _Dad! It's a walk in the woods. A walk." Andrea rolled her eyes, and Raph's temper flared._

" _Don't roll your eyes at me, Andrea. I won't have you out walking around, so who knows who will see you, and try to do who knows what. I know what's out there!"_

_I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. Our daughter seemed to bloom into womanhood right before our eyes, and she was undeniably breathtaking. I was a little worried about her safety myself. But I would've let her go on the walk. And yes, he knew what was out there, in the city. But for miles around our Hamptons home, there was nothing. That's why it was our home._

_Andrea raised an eyebrow, her head moving a bit from side to side. "What? Huh? What's out there, Dad?" Then she pointed a finger at him, and I honestly thought she'd be lucky if he didn't bring her to her knees with it. "Am I going to get raped by a deer?"_

_Raph stared at her finger, in such a way she quickly tucked it behind her back. "I don't like you even knowin' what sex is. And don't make jokes like that. It. Ain't. Cute."_

_Drea's nostrils flared. "Can I go or not?"_

" _No." Raph growled._

_Andrea glared at him, tears filling her eyes. "You'd let Antonello go. And for that, I hate you."_

_As she stomped off he grumbled under his breath, words I couldn't hear, but the way he drew his bottom lip into his mouth and hung his head. I felt them… and so did the bag he wore out for hours after._

I rub my eyes and sigh. Andrea growing up hurt Raph in places he wasn't ready for. There was a special place in his heart for his little girl, and her looking human, and a beautiful one at that— it terrified him. The only thing going worse than Andrea, was Antonello.

My sweet boy has grown into a flawless replica of his father. His entire personality changed, for the better, when the triplets came. He looked after them, helped care for them, he was a great big brother. He still is. And he's almost as protective over Andrea as Raph is. Almost, except for—

The screen of my phone lights up, and I expect a text from Drea', but it's Donatello.

"Hi Donnie," I greet him.

Raph lumbers from our bedroom, tying his mask. 'Who is It?' he mouths.

"Uh, Zoe, I don't know—" Donatello hesitates, and a chill washes over me. My eyes shoot to Raph's.

"What's goin' on?" he leans over me, looking at the picture of his purple clad brother on my phone. "Put him on speaker."

"No—no, no, no, don't do that, Zoe. Don't do that." Donnie says in a rush, and my heart starts to hammer.

"I can hear you," Raph says, pushing my hand down so he can touch the speakerphone key.

"He-he-he," Donnie laughs, the sound jittery and unsettling. "Uh, so, uh—"

"Spit it out Don," Raph huffs, snatching the phone from my hand.

"Raph," I shake my head. "Be nice."

Raphael's mask rose. "Well, he needs ta quit stammerin' and just say what he's got to say. I'm not tryin' to stand around freakin' out. Not when I don't know what the hell's goin' on cas' he can't get it from his genius brain to his mouth right."

"Hey!" Donnie protests.

"Raphael, give me the phone." I feel my eyebrows shoot up, my lips pursing together as I hold out my hand.

"G-g-guys?" Donatello stammers.

Raph stares at me for a long moment. "No."

"Uh, guys?" Donnie tries to interrupt.

I glare at Raphael, my hand still out. "Phone."

"Guys," Donnie repeats.

The corner of Raph's mouth quirks up, his green gems flashing as he repeats himself, "No."

With eyes locked on one another, I step toward him, lifting my fingers to his shoulder. Stretching on my tiptoes, to reach the tails of his mask, I stroke the fabric, letting it run between my fingers.

He lowers his mouth next to my ear, whispering, "I know all of your kunoichi tricks, and you're not getting this phone."

"GUYS!" Donatello yells.

Raph and I both look at the phone.

"Uh, two of your kids are missing."


	3. Chapter 3

**Zoe**

The edges of my mind are blurry, and I don't know if it's from lack of oxygen because I'm breathing so damn hard, or if it's the adrenalin pumping through my system in droves. My hands are trembling, as I throw my hiking pack on our unmade bed. I grab pairs of yoga pants, tanks, underwear, socks, dropping half of it as I march from dresser to bed.

Raph is standing in the doorway, watching me shove clothes in the overflowing bag. I look at it, can't remember what I've packed and start to pull the content back out. My heart is slamming against my chest so hard, it's making me sick. Clothes get hung up on the opening of the bag and I try to shake them free. My vision blurs, moist heat pressing against the backs of my eyes. When the clothes don't come loose I whip around launching the bag at the wall.

"Damn!" I press my lips together, clamping my eyes shut, feeling the trail of water slipping down my cheek. "Antonello, what are you doing?" I whimper, then bite my knuckles, holding back the scream threatening to follow.

"Leo's got everyone ready. I've got our weapons packed. We need to go, Z." His voice is calm, but I know better. One of us has to fake it. We've learned that much over the years. One of the two of us has to keep it together for the other. He might've been falling apart before he walked in this room, but the second he saw me, he flipped the switch.

I know, because I felt it. Like a drug, taking the edge off, he shut off his parental worries and became the warrior he was raised to be. The two were one, and he could be both at once, but he could also see when one would cause more harm than good and he compartmentalized. In that way, Raphael had grown far beyond what he was before I met him.

"Donnie said Andrea has no supplies with her." I say to the socks strewn across the bed, my voice a feeble sound that I don't recognize.

Raph picks up my bag, starts shoving clothes in it. "They both know how to survive with very little. She's smart, Z, resourceful. And if she's keeping up with him, she'll ask him for help."

If she's keeping up with him.

I close my eyes, feel a new lump forming in the back of my throat. "What if she's not? What if he doesn't know she's following him, and he gets too far ahead of her? What if she's lost?" My body begins to shake.

"Zoe," his voice comes out firm, "look at me."

He gives me a second to respond, but I'm seeing images of my baby girl, possibly hurt, probably hungry, maybe cold, and lost in the Adirondack Mountains.

"Zoe!" he yells, a hint of his inner turmoil busting to the surface. He curses under his breath, apologizes, and two large hands appear on my shoulders.

I swallow, take a breath, and turn to face him.

His eyes dart between mine. "Better. I need you to treat this like a mission."

My gaze falls to the floor. "They're our babies, Raph."

"Zoe, look at me." He puts a finger under my chin, guides me to face him. "I'm leaving to go find our kids and bring them home. I want you out there with me. It's a mission. You've got to treat it like a mission, like it's not our kids, but a job. I know you can do that."

I shut my eyes, feel tears slipping away. "Of course," I sniffle, wipe my eyes, take a deep breath and try to forget what it feels like to be a mother. Internally, I'm turning down the mommy dial, to low setting, will turn it off if that's what it takes to bring them home. "Raph, if I lose it out there."

He shakes his head. "Zoe, you are so far past that. You can do this."

"Of course I can. It's," I fight the constriction in my throat, "it's what I was made to do."

He frowns. "I know, and I'm sorry."

I scoff. "Since when do you apologize more than once a day?" I'm joking, but when I look at him, neither of us can smile.

He pulls me close, kisses the top of my head. "Let's go get our kids, Z."

**Antonello**

We are in the middle of nowhere, at least twenty miles from any human campground. Why are Uncle Mike and Uncle Don so good at what they do? I rub calloused fingers together, glance at the chucks and sai tucked in my belt and have my answer. Years of practice.

I guess I should consider myself lucky. He could've parked us in the middle of nowhere on the side of a road, leaving the van to look like it was abandoned like he did last year. She never would've found the van, let alone me. But the lot he chose wasn't far off from that. There is no trail, and if there ever had been it was way overgrown. Not that I can use a sword to clear my way… It would lead them right to me.

Reflexively, I move to check the time on my phone. Then remember I left it at home, knowing Uncle Donnie could track me that way. And I got Ellie to pop off the battery-size tracker they'd fitted on the underside of my carapace when I was a kid. I look to the sky, lightening in deep reds, pinks, and oranges all smeared together to blend with what remained of a night sky. Almost seven. They'll be getting up soon.

Ellie should be there waiting, I've got to move faster. We need to put distance between us and my family before the all out hunt begins. It'll take them a while to gather and set out. By then I should have us in deep wood.

As I reach the parking lot, she's there, and my heart swells at sight of her. Her golden curls sparkle in the morning light, her blue eyes searching for me, but she can't see me yet. I love how innocent she looks, those wide, doe eyes, and the sprinkles of freckles over the bridge of her nose… She lifts long, bony fingers to sweep a disobedient curl behind her ear, but it springs back and she huffs in surrender. The same hand travels to the swell of her belly, round and protruding like a basketball strapped to her skinny frame.

I look closer, beyond the beauty that sweeps me away every time I first see her, to the details, the ugly ones that shouldn't be there, like her trembling lip, raw from where's she's chewed it till it bleeds, or… _it is split?_ My blood heats, my gaze travelling up to her eyes, red-rimmed, puffy, one has a dark ring under it. _Son-of-a-_ _bitch._ My teeth grind together, hands balling into fists. Not again.

**Andrea**

I have to find my brother, and get him to come back to camp. I don't know what he thinks he's doing, our Uncles are going to be so mad. Not to mention if Mom and Dad find out… My heart shudders… if Dad finds out.

I swallow hard, trying to remember where I lost him.

He's straight ghosting this. I spin around, grateful the sun is rising, but realize the forest surrounding me is endless. Trees and leaves in every direction. Everything looks the same, no matter where I turn. There's not even a down tree to show me something unique, to give me a sense of where to start.

I'd kept Anton's pace all night, although he never once reached for so much as a penlight, and his feet made no sound whatsoever as he floated through the woods. His pace was like it had been when we ran together in the mornings. I was a sprinter, like mom. Anton, on the other hand could go for miles on end and keep pace. Last night was no different, in some ways worse, because while I was fading, he seemed to have found a new gear. The cramp in my side was the end for me. I had to stop, had to breathe through it.

And he was gone.

I walk a small circle, dragging the end of my bo-staff to mark my path, looking for anything, a footprint, disrupted leaves, just something to point me in the right direction. But there is nothing.

Why is he doing this? I mean, I know Mom and Dad can be… impossible? Lame? Annoying? Control freaks? Okay, well, Dad at least, is definitely a control freak. I scoff. And he always says Uncle Leo is. Huh. He should try listening to himself now and then. But what could be so bad Anton can't tell them? Or at least, thinks he can't?

As I stand in the middle of nowhere, wishing I had moms ability to sense my family, my eyes feel sticky, the back of my mind is filling with a cloud, and I want nothing more than to curl up and go to sleep. My stomach growls, and my mouth is dry. I lift a hand to my shoulder, feel for the strap of my backpack and end up brushing my fingers over my pajamas . My heart starts to pound. "Oh, no."

**Zoe**

After a three hour drive, Leo is parking the van in a seldom-used and little-known parking lot at the base of the Adirondack Park. Our second van, the one Mike and Don took to bring the kids, is in the spot next to us.

There's been little chat along the way, although lots of hugs, and support from April, Karai, and Exodus. Leo cuts the engine, and we climb from the vehicle, strapping on hiking packs and weapons.

"Leo," Exodus calls to him, strapping an umpteenth knife to the utility belt on her thigh. He looks in her direction, sliding his katana in their sheaths. "What's the plan?"

Leo looks to Raph, his mouth set in a grim line. "I have a plan, but they're your kids. Do you want to lead this?"

Raph doesn't hesitate, and he doesn't explain. But he doesn't have to. I know, I understand, and I agree with him.

"No," he tells his brother. "What's your plan?"

Neither one of us, need to try guiding our team right now. I know I can do this, at least that's what I'm telling myself. But I can't promise I'll make the best decisions. And I think Raph feels the same way. Eighteen years ago he might've jumped head first at the chance, but not anymore. There's too much at stake.

Leo nods. "Okay, first thing is to make it to the camp. From there I want Exodus and April to take the six kids that are there, home. Get the keys from Mikey, get them back down the mountain, and report in to me each step of the way. I want to know when you get to the van, and when you get home."

April and X nod.

"Raph and Zoe, Karai and me, Donnie and Mikey will split up and go after the kids." Leo reaches in Karai's pack, pulls out Donatello's amped up walkies. "These are on a secure channel and will work anywhere on the mountain, as long as we are within twelve miles of each other."

He hands one to April, and one to Raph, who clips it on his belt.

"We're doing a seventy-two hour hike in the next fifteen hours ninjas. Let's find our family."


	4. Chapter 4

**Donatello**

I'm staring at six faces. Six faces attached to six bodies, thankfully, all in a row on the log. Michelangelo is scouring the area for any trail left by either Anton or Andrea. I doubt he finds anything in the immediate area. Both are skilled, capable ninja. Anton, a damned prodigy in the art, will be near impossible to trace. The very one I hoped would set a good example for the faces I'm looking at, gone, and I can't imagine why.

Rachel is on the end, picking at her nail polish. Midori, beside her, is glaring at me, despite the fact that she's in trouble. Her father's blue eyes fit inside her mother's sharp features, the set of her small mouth in a deep scowl. I look to the next in line, where Kei's eyes trace my every step, ready to do whatever I ask. Beside him Hisao's mouth is set in a flat hard line, his blue eyes narrowing on a wiggling Gray.

"Gees Gray, quit fidgeting your gonna shove Noah right off the end!" Hisao snarls, thrusting an elbow in his brother's side.

"Ow! Hisao stop! I didn't do nothin', I don't got enough room!" Gray protests, shifting his seat from side to side, bumping into Noah, whose eyes are tracking a butterfly.

"Uncle Donnie, shouldn't butterflies be dominant right now?" Noah asks, his eyes spiraling in towards the end of his nose, where the monarch flutters before Gray's head is shoved to close and it flies away.

Three fingered hands are swiping and pushing.

"Dormant, and no, they should be migrating. And the two of you—" I speak through clenched teeth, answering Noah, and putting a hand between Hisao and Gray, "stop that!"

"He—" Hisao grunts, ducking under my arm to lunge at his brother, "started it!"

"I did not! Ow! Hisao, stop!" Gray throws his hands up to shield himself, "I was just sitting here!"

My eyes narrow on the two squabbling kids. I'm not going to lose it. I'm not.

"Oh, my God! Seriously, Gray, just kick his ass!" Midori huffs, blowing her black bangs from her eyes then chewing on a finger nail. "I'm bored already."

She did not just encourage this!

Hisao and Gray grapple, rising off the log and bumping into Kei who falls into Rachel.

My teeth grind together, my chest tightening.

"Ah! Get of me, Kei! Seriously, can't anybody in this family act right?" Rachel jumps off the log, stomping off toward the woods.

No. No. No. My jaw shifts, my face contorting into a scowl. "EVERYBODY SIT!"

Rachel's feet stop, just in front of a returning Michelangelo. Gray and Hisao freeze at my feet with Gray's hand on Hisao's face, Hisao's hands around his brother's neck. Midori startles, sits up straight, dropping her hand to her side. Noah and Kei's eyes fly to my face.

"You look like Uncle Raph right now, Uncle Donnie," Noah says, scratching the back of his neck.

I force a breath.

"Uh- What'd I miss?" Mike asks, pointing Rachel back to her spot on the log.

She crosses her arms, and plops down with an exaggerated sigh.

My gaze shifts to the two boys on the ground beside me. "Get—your hands—off—his—neck—right—now." My tone-of-voice widens even Michelangelo's eyes. Hisao's fingers open, and he rises from Gray, his mouth set in a flat line, eyes still riled in a familiar glare as he takes his seat.

Gray's eyes dart over his brother's face, then looks up at me as if asking for permission to move. I motion him with my eyes. As he squeezes between Hisao and Noah again, Hisao growls and I shoot him a warning look. His upper lip twitches but he says nothing.

"Listen up kids, we're hiking back down the mountain towards the parking lot. I want to get you as far as I can so your parents don't have as far to reach us. Leo's going to want to get the six of you home quick. So we can focus on finding Drea' and Anton." I walk back and forth, before them, studying their faces.

Midori and Rachel's eyes meet then dash away in opposite directions. I'm not the only one who picks up on it.

"Dori, Rach, if you two know anything, you need to tell us. Drea' doesn't have anything with her. No map, no food, no water, nothing." Mike frowns, his voice coaxing.

Midori presses her lips flat, her eyes narrowing as she draws her arms around herself. Rachel's mouth scrunches up, her eyes searching the canopy of trees.

"Hamato Rachel, if you know something you better speak up. I don't have to threaten you with a punishment. You don't want anything to happen to Drea'. You know the right thing to do, and I have every confidence you will do it." I press my daughter, hoping to appeal to the best part of her, the part she inherited from April.

"Snitching isn't right," Midori grumbles.

Before I can open my mouth Mikey is on it. "Midori, this isn't snitching. She's gone. That's done. That secret's out. This, right now, it's dangerous. Please, help us help Drea'."

Midori's lips quiver. "I don't want any trouble with her."

"Dangerous, Midori. Drea's in danger. If you ask me, she'll be thanking you for speaking up, and if she doesn't," Mike puts a hand on his nieces shoulder, "I will talk to her, make sure isn't mad at you or blaming you for anything."

Midori's eyes fill. "You promise?"

Mike nods.

Midori looks him in the eye, known for committing herself to one side or another, but never dancing on the blurry line for long. "She snuck out last night, went back to the clearing we watched stars from. Said she wanted to see more falling stars. But she didn't go with nothing at all. She took her sai and bo."

Rachel looks at Midori then adds, "She was going to come back before sunrise. She might not be tracking Anton at all, something might've happened."

I'm not going to scream and yell. It won't help. But— "Why, Rachel, if you knew that would you not speak up sooner?"

Rachel shrugs.

My eye ridges shoot up, my jaw shifting as I lean over to look her in the eye. "That's not good enough, Rachel."

Her voice comes out soft, and she blinks in an effort not to cry, "I just thought she was late coming back, maybe she fell asleep or something."

I close my eyes, take a deep breath, then look at my brother.

He frowns, shakes his head. "I checked the clearing. There's no sign of her. Did you try your tracker thingy's yet?"

I nod. It was the first thing I did. I didn't want to make the call, the one that's going to have Raph's hands around my throat. I cringe inside. It's been years since he's had any reason to take a swing at me. But if he lost Rachel, I'd be pissed too. I deserve it.

I rub my face. How did I not hear Antonello? How did I not sense this? P-R-O-D-I-G-Y, Donatello. Martial Arts Prodigy. My heart clutches as I struggle with the thought pushing its way to the front of my mind in blinding lights.

If he doesn't want to be found…

"D?" Michelangelo's hand appears on my shoulder, the kid's faces blurring back into focus. I flush my mind, knowing this train of thought will not help.

"Yeah, Mikey. Anton left his phone at home. Drea's is here with her stuff. Anton's carapace tracker is dead. He must've removed it somehow. And Drea's bracelet is with her phone."

Michelangelo gives me an understanding nod.

I sigh, look the kids over, and motion towards their bags. "Get your stuff kids. We're back down the mountain, training style today."

A myriad of groans, grumbles and moaning follow slumped shoulders and dragged feet.

Mikey snorts, suppresses a chuckle. "I remember those days."

I watch my daughter lift her bag to her very human shoulders, smooth out her shirt, swipe her hair up in a loose ponytail and stretch her neck. Tone-for-an-eleven year-old girl arms reach for her weapon, a tessen, like her mothers. She opens it, examines the weapon, polishes a smudge with her shirt then closes and tucks it in her pocket. With a deep breath she looks toward the forest, with eyes reflecting mental preparation.

My gaze travels to her cousins. Hisao slides his katana from its sheath. Leo hasn't approved him to carry two, even though he trains with them now. The boy eyes the blade with respect, slips it back in its hold strapped to his shell. Gray tucks his chucks into his belt then the brothers help each other get their backpacks on. Nearby, Mike helps Noah with his bag, his son's eyes staring off into the distance. I would think his mind is floating around with the butterflies again, but he takes after his father and Mikey has always played the fool but is anything but.

Kei wraps three fingers around his bo, rolls the weapon over the back of his hand before flipping it into its hold. He tips his chin toward the clearing, blinks and takes a breath before looking to me for direction.

Midori, like Andrea and Antonello, wield two weapons equally. All three picked up sai. I'm not entirely sure why, besides the fact that Midori is a natural with them. Anton is too, but is determined not to be exactly like his father, and picked up nunchucks to spite him. Andrea just couldn't make up her mind, and I think she liked the attention, that using the same weapon as her father brought her from him.

Midori's short sword stays in its sheath. She doesn't look at it adoringly, respectfully, not the way Hisao does his katana. It's her sai she holds, tipped toward her wrists then twirling in her fingers. She stares with hard, determined eyes into nothing in particular. But I recognize all of their game faces.

None of them wear masks. We hope they never do, hope our vigilante days are behind us, and that they never fall on them.

Little warriors.

We are raising little warriors… that we hope never go off to battle.


	5. Chapter 5

**Zoe**

The air is cool, the sun slipping behind the mountain, and we all reach for flashlights at the same time. We've been going hard for fifteen hours, just like Leo said, and if we didn't maintain our training we might not have been able to keep the brutal pace.

Leo reaches for his walkie. "Donnie? Mike? We should be getting close. Has anything changed?"

Donatello is quick to reply, "No. We have six. There's no sign of Andrea or Antonello. Mikey hiked the way you're coming up, earlier this afternoon. Check the trunks, follow the ribbons, they'll lead you right to us."

Raph grumbles something under his breath.

There's not been any talking beyond the question on everyone's mind.

Why is Anton doing this?

Our kids are happy.

I sweep my flashlight over passing tree trunks, double checking, although I know neither Leo, or Raph will miss the ribbons. My head is starting to hurt as bad as my burning calves.

At least I thought my kids were all happy. Have I been blind to something, just seeing what I want to?

"There, right there," Raph motions to a tiny ribbon tied around a twig just above his head. If someone wasn't looking up they'd never notice the tiny scrap of white.

We hike on another twenty minutes, taking down each ribbon as we encounter it. The scent of burning cedar and pine, a small circle of smoke drifting into a midnight sky, renews my energy. I may not get to put my arms around all of my babies tonight, but I can almost feel three sets of turtle-boy arms…

I break into a sprint, darting around Exodus, Karai, April, then Leo and Raph. The beam of my flashlight darts over trees. I'm not using it and shut it off. I don't need anything at this point. I can feel three little life forces, like invisible thread, or bobbers at the end of a fishing line, only I won't flounder at the end of it, they can reel me in and I'll go willingly.

My heart is pounding, hands shaking, tears welling. "Hisao, Gray, Kei!" I shout their names, my legs wobbling as I breech the campsite, find them all sitting in a circle around the fire.

Three green faces whip up, their little bodies rushing me, slamming into me.

"Mom!" they yell in unison then immediately begin talking over one another.

"Anton's gone!"

"Drea' followed him!"

"Uncle Donnie lost his shit today!"

"Don't say shit!"

"Well he did!"

"Gray and Hisao got in a fight!"

"Snitch!"

"Get your hand outta my face!"

"Mom!"

"See, your doin' it again! Snitch!"

My entire body is trembling, my heartbeat an audible sound in my head, their bickering voices music to my ears. I'm laughing, maybe hysterical. I look down at them through blurry eyes and feel some of the weight lift from my chest.

I take a shuddering breath, blink back tears and see Don and Mike stand. They each take one step toward me then their eyes dart behind me. They stiffen, swallow and step back.

"Both of you, over here. We need ta talk." Raph points at Don and Mike, as the kids dart from me to him, throwing their arms around his waist. He hugs them each, all the while his eyes are pinned on his brothers.

Michelangelo pushes on Donatello's elbow. "Dude, you go first."

Donatello's Adam's apple bobs. "You go first."

"I'm good. I'll be right behind you. I've got your back." Mike nudges Don again, stepping behind him a bit.

Karai and Leo appear to my left and Midori leaps up, running flat out into her father's arms. "Daddy! Andrea's gone and it's my fault! I'm so—sorry!"

Leo frowns, hugs her, whisper's something that calms her. His eyes drift from her shiny black locks to Raph's clenched fists, his eyes on Don and Mike. He lowers Midori, passes her to Karai.

Noah sees Exodus, and his bottom lip starts to tremble, his blue eyes filling. Mike's eyes dart from Raph to X then back. Exodus snatches Noah up quick, knowing he won't want anyone to see him cry.

Rachel doesn't move, stares at April with guilty eyes. April approaches Donnie first, kisses his cheek. His eyes close briefly, but they open right back on Raph. He squeezes April's hand then she takes a seat beside Rachel, starts talking to her.

"Now, Don!" Raph snarls, breaking up the reunion.

"Raph." Leo clears his throat, looking from his brother to the kids and back.

Raph looks down at the three sets of eyes peering up at him. "I need you guys to turn in for the night. You'll be goin' home early. Don't want you tired." He squeezes Hisao's shoulder, rubs Gray's head affectionately, then does the same to Kei. The boy's eyes dart from their father to me.

"I'll check on you soon, I promise." I assure them, and they do as they've been asked. One by one, Noah, Midori and Rachel following suit.

Raph closes the distance between him and his younger brothers the second the kids are out of sight. "WHAT THE HELL YOU TWO?" Raph roars.

"Raph," Leo begins, "lower your voice."

Raphael's eyes narrow on Leo. "Easy for you to say," his eyes shift back to Donatello, "your kid ain't missin'."

I won't stand by and watch them fight. It won't change anything. While Exodus, April and Karai hang back, I stand beside Michelangelo.

He looks down at me. "I'm real sorry, Zoe."

"Yeah, you're gonna be," Raph growls.

"No, he's not. Raph, you and I both know. We all know, if Anton wants to disappear he's going to. He's more than capable." I lift my hand, placing my fingers on Raph's plastron. "Please, fighting with your brothers is not going to change this."

Raphael's eyes stay fixed on Don, his finger raised to jab him. "What about Drea', you didn't hear her sneak out?"

I decide to appeal to Raph's pride, in an effort to keep the kids from hearing a throw down. "Raph, think about who trained those two. And of everything you've taught them, what has been stressed to them first and foremost? The most basic skill, one they mastered at six?"

Raph takes several deep breaths, his lip twitching, before he finally lowers his hand. Neither Don or Mike move, as Raph steps around them stomping off into the woods.

"Thanks, Zoe." Leo says, watching his brother disappear.

I'm not okay with this. Not any of it. My heart wants to blame someone, to scream and yell, and fall apart. I want to smack both Mike and Don in the face and demand they tell me why they weren't more on guard. How did they let themselves, relax as if they were home, when they weren't, and that kind of casual isn't a luxury anyone in this family has.

I can't say anything about Anton. He's exceptional, and gives the brothers an actual struggle when training. But Andrea. I can find little room for excuse there. Why didn't they hear her unzip the tent? Why wasn't there a brother long-ways outside each of the kid's tents? Especially when Hisao and Midori had been caught sneaking out the night before. How did they catch that, and not this? How? Why?

I stare at each brother, look them in the eye. "I'm going to check on the boys." I motion a hand in the direction Raph went, "I won't be here to call him off if he's still pissed when he gets back. So you better hope he rises above this. And I tell you what," Now it's me pointing a finger at each of them, tears burning my eyes as I speak over the lump in my throat. "I love you both, but that doesn't mean I'm not one pissed off Mom right now."

Michelangelo swallows, Donatello's eyes shift to April then he drops his head, nods his understanding. I force a breath, turn and march over to the triplet's tent.


	6. Chapter 6

**Zoe**

Sleep is impossible. Instead my brain keeps thinking, while I lay my body, buried beneath three turtle boys, trying to force it to rest. I open my eyes, finding that beside us, Noah has slept clinging to his mother. I look at each of their sleeping green faces. Even in the minimal light filtering through the nylon tent, their similarities are as remarkable as their differences. And each of them still look like they did as infants, in slumber anyway. Their little mouths hang open in little O's, their features reminding me of their youth, while the tangled arms and legs impress upon me hours upon hours of intense training. Each and every one of them, are skilled athletes. Unique beyond any human ability.

I stroke Hisao's carapace, and the corner of his mouth curves up, but he does not wake. The gap in Kei's teeth makes like a whistle on each exhale and I marvel at how much he resembles his uncle. My heart sinks. An uncle who must feel terrible right now. A pang of resentment rises, and I'm torn between wanting to comfort my two best friends, my brothers, at the same time still wanting to tear into them both.

I put a hand on Kei's shoulder, brush my fingers over his cheek, and he stirs. I withdraw my fingers then look to Gray. Of the three, my most innocent child, has fallen asleep clutching my shirt as if I might disappear. His head is closest to me and I lower my lips to his brow. The scent of marshmallow cream drifts up, and I find his skin slightly sticky with it. I'll have to remember to tell April and X to be sure they all get baths when they are home.

The space is small, and overly crowded. I lift each of Gray's fingers from my shirt, then slip arms and legs off of me. Right as I reach for the zipper Exodus whispers, "You're handling this better than I would, Zoe."

My head droops, my eyes closing. "Oh, X," I swallow hard, feel my heart dip, "Why is he doing this?"

"I don't know," she leans forward, her fingers brushing my forearm, "But, if you can find it in your heart, would you please talk to Michelangelo? He's beside himself that he's going to lose you."

There's a knot in my throat that feels like it's going to become a permanent fixture there. And it hurts, ache's like it's spreading out and strangling me from within. There's a battle with myself, the frantic mother's instincts that I'm trying to hold down, the ones that want to snap at her, saying all of the terrible, frightening things running through my mind. Painting images for her that she doesn't deserve.

Not that I do either.

There's the other half of me that has held both Michelangelo and Donatello on a pedestal. One they didn't ask for, but I feel they earned. I love them. They are my brothers. This is my family. But I don't want to think of what will be, not if something befalls my kids. I know this isn't their fault. But my heart won't let me forgive them, because it wants someone to blame.

I can't find it in myself to even respond to Exodus, instead reach for the zipper and almost trip over Michelangelo. His hand flies up, grabs my wrist and balances me as I tumble over him. It's enough noise to send his three brother's bolt upright and looking around. Donatello has slept in front of the girl's tent. Raph and Leo on opposite sides of the fire. Though from looking at each of their faces, I don't think there was much actual sleeping taking place.

April and Karai's heads emerge from the girl's tent. "What's going on?" Karai looks around then down to Donatello's long legs. She lifts an eyebrow. "What, are you supposed to be a trap?"

"N-n-no. I-I-I just, thought—" he swallows, closes his eyes, "never mind." He gathers himself, starts rolling up his bag. "We should get ready." He looks at April, "Wake her up, please."

April offers him a sympathetic smile. "Sure."

I look down at Michelangelo's fingers, then to his face. One by one he lifts them, his eyes darting from me to ground beneath my feet. He scoots out of the way, but doesn't say anything. I'm about to step around him, when something stops me.

My eyes flicker back to Michelangelo's cheek where a purplish bruise is forming. My jaw shifts, my heart picking up pace, I look in his baby blues and he looks away. Dammit. And I wanted to stay mad at you. Air rushes in and out as my mouth sets in a tight, thin line. I look closer at Donatello's face, find his lip swollen, split in one corner. My fingers curl into my palms, my teeth dragging over each other.

"Uh, Zoe?" Karai's eyes shoot to my face.

My inner animal is snarling from my throat.

Exodus stumbles out of the tent behind me. "Who pissed her off?"

I close my eyes, feel my muscles bunching.

"Zoe?" April tries her gentle voice, the one that could coax a frightened cat out of a tree…But won't stop a cheetah from clawing her mate's eyes out.

My eyes fly open, landing right on Raphael. "You—get—up—right—now." I enunciate every word, and one by one little heads emerge pressing against Karai, April, and Exodus' arms.

Raph glares at me, doesn't move.

My nostrils are flaring, chest pumping. "Hamato Raphael, you get on your feet and you come with me. Right—now."

Raph's jaw shifts, his eyes narrow.

"Zoe, it's okay," Michelangelo whispers.

I flinch, my eyes clamping shut. My heart hurts like I've taken a terrible blow. "The hell it is. _Now_ , Raphael. Right now, or so help me we will do this right here in front of everyone."

I look at him and his eyes dart to the kids then back to me and he gets to his feet. Beside him Leo's eyes follow his brother and I notice even Fearless is bruised. Another glance at Raph shows him unscathed. And it is not lost on me as to why.

Once out of earshot I release the words pressing so hard against my lips I think I'll burst.

"What the hell, Raphael? What? They let you lose your shit on them? Why would you do that? Not only are the kids going to see it, but they didn't deserve it!"

He looks away.

"LOOK AT ME!" I scream, and he glares at me. My finger is in his face. "Don't," tears burn my eyes, "don't think I don't know they let you fall apart, and they took it from you knowing their kids would see it. Because I KNOW THEY DID!" My finger curls into a fist. "HOW COULD YOU?" Then my hand draws back, "HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO THEM?" and hooks him in the jaw.

My other hand comes around with a follow through and I'm slipping. Screaming, tears blurring my eyes, my knuckles meet his cheek again. "THEY'D DO ANYTHING FOR YOU!"

His fingers snatch both of my hands up in one of his. "Stop it, Zoe."

But I can't. It's not the same as the haze I struggled with. It's something fractured and shattering inside me, it's fear, it's fury, it's our family at risk. Everything I love, all that is precious to me, slipping away, too fast, and—I— can't—stop.

He spins me around, wraps his other arm around me, presses his lips to my ear. "This, what you're doin' right now, this was me last night." He takes a deep breath. "It is okay. They got me through it, and I'm gonna get you through it too."

My chest shudders, a sob erupts, my knees buckle and he holds me up.

"It is okay," he repeats, his voice reaching to the place inside me that always hears him.

That me, maybe it's my subconscious I don't know, but she hears him, believes him, and she quiets, hangs like an exhausted animal in his arms. When I open my eyes his brothers are there, and I'm ashamed. Close my eyes, and cling to him.

"I'm sorry, Raph." A fresh wave hits, this one like a tsunami emerging from my lungs straight to my eyes, leaving my insides as wet and ragged as my cheeks.

"It's okay," he lifts me up, "Hey, look at me."

I open my eyes, find myself level with him.

He forces a lop-sided grin, a bruise forming on his jaw. "When'd your right hook get so damn good?"

The corners of my mouth curl, my eyes filling, while my heart spills over. "I have a damn good teacher and years of practice."

"Yeah?" his widening grin is heartfelt and true, despite our situation.

My fingers stroke his cheek, my thumb brushing the forming mark, and I press my lips together. "Yeah," I nod then press my mouth against his.


	7. Chapter 7

**Andrea**

I've never slept on the ground before. It sucks. I'm cold, my pajama bottoms are damp where I leaned my back against a tree and it was muddy beneath it, and my stomach hurts I'm so hungry. I'm a little shaky, and my mouth is kind of puckering, or something, I don't know, but it's sticking to itself like saran wrap.

I don't know how far I followed Antonello before I lost him. And I don't know which direction camp was. My heart flutters, flips and flops and my body wants to panic. I close my eyes, try to hear my Sofu's voice, remember how he taught me to calm myself.

Breathe. Clear your mind. In. Out.

An animal scampers through the leaves. I open my eyes to see a squirrel spiraling up a tree trunk a walnut in his mouth.

A walnut.

I exhale, my gaze drifting toward the tree tops. I can eat walnuts. But how can I get them open?

My fingers brush the handles of my sai.

Maybe.

Maple, maple, maple, oak, maple, pine, walnut, there, right there. I walk beneath the fan shaped tree, its leaves curling and brown. I scan the ground, don't see anything not moldy, already opened, or rotten. My eyes sweep the branches, see there's a few but they're all out of reach. The trunk is too big for my staff to make it shake. But a good—

I run a few steps, launch myself up, execute a perfect snap-kick into the trunk. The tree shakes, and I'm thankful for inheriting super-human strength as a few walnuts drop. But when my foot meets the ground pain shoots up my shin.

"Gah!" I land with my hands out to my sides, keeping me from a face plant. I roll to my rump and hold my foot out in front of me. Maybe I just rolled it, on the landing. It might be okay. Hopefully. I don't need an injury slowing me down now. Not now. I try to remember Uncle Donnie's instructions, roll it this way, roll it that, check for swelling. It looks okay. I'm okay.

Glancing around I spy my breakfast and scramble to my knees to collect it. I reach for my sai, eye the sharpened tips that my father would send me to the ha-shi for. Only right now I don't care that I've disobeyed and made my weapon even more dangerous than it already is. When I drive the tip into the weakest spot I can find on the round black ball, I'm actually glad I didn't listen. I pry the shell free of its outer binding then crush the weaker lining and pick the tiny nut from its casing.

Great. I'm still starving. I'm going to need like twelve more of these, and I don't have that kind of time. I've got to cover ground in one direction or another. I scan the forest. But which way?

"Oh, that one's beautiful! I love the reds, oranges, and yellows!" A woman's voice hits my ears and I stop chewing.

Humans.

My eyes dart around, searching for them. I duck behind a tree, peek around the trunk, still scanning. Leaves rustle the ground, swish, crunch, swish, crunch.

"Yes, this is definitely the best time of year to come here. Oh! Take a picture of that one." A man replies.

There a fluttering in my chest. Do I approach them? What would I say? Help me I'm lost in the woods, let me just call my mutant family and they'll come right over to pick me up?

Well, Mom looks human. She'd come.

Then they come into view. The man has a camera draped around his neck, a bucket hat on his head. The woman is pointing everywhere and they draw closer, until their backs are fading as they trek downhill. Andrea! Go, ask them for help.

But my legs won't move, my body starts to shiver and my stomach churns. Can I trust them? They'd ask questions. I glance at my sai, then my bo. They'd see my weapons and ask questions. I close my eyes, feel moist heat rushing to the backs of them. Get it together Drea. Don't fall apart.

Okay, okay. Maybe I've found a human trail. I can follow that. Eventually it will lead me somewhere. A campsite maybe. A ranger's shelter. Somewhere that I can find a phone or radio and call Donnie, or Mom, or Uncle Mikey. Yes. Look for the trail. Follow that.

I get to my feet, force a calming breath. What if they come here looking for me? I need to let them know I was here. What do I have to work with? I glance down at myself, my sai, my bo. Two weapons. Great.

With morning light I'm able to see better, walk around and find the human trail easily. Well, what can I do, that won't make sense to anyone but a Hamato? I lift my fingers to my necklace then remember I'd taken off my jewelry when I changed clothes. I frown wishing I could toy with the charm Mom and Dad had made for me. It was a gift to get me to stop sucking my thumb.

" _Rub on the charm when you feel like sucking your thumb, Drea'. Five is far too old to still have that habit. This will help."_

_I looked at the small circular disc, the Hamato clan crest engraved on it. Uncle Donnie had made it. It wasn't anything fancy but it was special. And it worked._

That's it!

I stepped off the trail, just out of human eyesight, clearing the leaves with my foot.

*  
 **Antonello**

"You sure your okay, Ellie?" It's harder than I thought to travel with a human, and a pregnant one at that.

She keeps wanting to stop and rest, rubbing her hand over her belly.

Her bruised cheek is hard to look at, but I'm trying to remember everything my Dad taught me about assessing someone in the field. But she isn't bleeding, hasn't fallen… I look at her mouth, her lips are chapped, the lower one split but that's from where he—

I push my anger away. It won't help us. I drop my bag from my shell and fish out a bottle of water. "Here, drink this. Are you hungry? I've got a granola bar." I don't wait for her to answer and hand her one of those too.

She smiles at me, panting. "Yeah, I'm— okay. Wish—I wasn't slowing us down—so much." She rubs her belly again. "This—is just harder—than I thought it'd be."

I shift uncomfortably, rub the back of my head and look around. "Yeah. It's okay. We'll get there."

She nods, drinks half the water and hands me the bottle. "You haven't eaten or drank anything yet today. Here, we have to take care of you too. I can't do this without you."

I take it from her, know she's right. She'd be busted in a half hour flat.


	8. Chapter 8

**April**

"Straight to the van, April. You know how hard to push them. I want you guys down the mountain and on your way home no later than tomorrow." Leo paces the line of kids, his eyes locking on each of them as he repeats my orders.

They remind me of little soldiers, each one looking him in the eye respectfully, straight backs, little backpacks strapped to a mix of shell and human backs. My gaze falls on each of their weapons and I can't help feeling the tiniest pang of regret, that my daughter has mastered a weapon at eleven that took me most of my teenage and adult life to.

A weapon.

She's twelve.

In many ways she's as much a weapon as the tessen in her pocket. At the same time my seed of regret is smothered with the determination on her face, the way she carries herself, head up, alert. Capable. Disciplined. Confident.

And there's nothing wrong with that.

"April?" Leo stops in front of me, and I realize I haven't been listening to the remainder of his pep talk.

I clear my throat, glance at Karai who suppresses a snicker. I bite my own lip, raise my eyebrows and look our leader in the eye. "Sorry, yes, absolutely, Leo. Down the mountain, home by tomorrow."

The kids giggle.

Leo blinks as if confused then schools his face into a smooth, controlled blank expression. "Uh-yes, that, and remember—" he raises his eye-ridge expectantly and I stare at him, clueless as to what I missed.

Noah and Gray are laughing, Hisao shushes them, and Exodus comes to my rescue. "Yes, check in on the radio when we stop for the night, again when we leave in the morning, when we get to the van, and again when we get home."

I offer Leo a guilty smile and nod. "Exactly, thank you Exodus."

X separates a squabbling Gray and Hisao. "Anytime, April."

She comes to stand beside me in the line-up. The rest of our family gathers round.

"We are ninjas," Leo begins, and Karai clears her throat, his eyes dart to her face and she shakes her head. He closes his mouth, thinks for a second, as all the kids look at him expectantly. Then he starts over. "We are a family. We will always be a family, here for one another, no matter what. You guys get down the mountain safe, look out for each other, help one another, and we'll see you soon. Okay?"

Six heads bob, and I find my own tipping up and down.

Four hours later, I'm wishing I could hear Leo's encouraging voice, watch him and Raph still trying to best one another without ever having spoken it. Wish I could see Donnie's smooth easy gate, watch Mikey turn the landscape into his own personal playground. Even Zoe and Karai would dig into their work and feed off it, like being tired is a challenge in and of itself.

But I'm leading this.

I drop my bottom close to the ground, it's steep and I lean toward the earth to balance myself. A look back at the kids shows them moving the same way, Exodus at the end supervising each and every one of them.

The rock beneath Midori's shoe comes lose and she slips down, her shoulder tipping forward but Rachel's hand is there and she balances her without missing a step. The two girls smile at each other and my heart swells.

As soon as I look ahead and see we've got a long way until we're down, I hear what I knew was eventually coming. It gives me flashbacks from my teenage years, and I sympathize with everything Splinter dealt with when we were young.

"You stepped on my foot!' Hisao snarls.

"I slipped I'm sorry!" Gray whines.

"Mom, I'm all itchy!" Noah complains.

"You did it again! Gray, I'm warnin' you!"

"Boy, you did not just hit me!" Midori growls.

"I was tryin' ta hit Gray!"

"Mom, I'm itchy!"

"Where are you itchy, Noah?" Exodus asks calmly.

"E-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e, ahhhh make it stopppp, ppppleeeeassse."

"Ow! That is it, if you can't throw a punch and land it I'm going to show you how!" Midori threatens Hisao.

I look over my shoulder, don't say a word, just make eye contact with each of them.

Midori drops her fist to her side.

Hisao glares at her but steps back in line.

Gray looks relieved.

Rachel is not amused.

Noah is scratching his arms, the skin around his bridge, then his cheeks and legs, his frown tugging at my heart strings.

Kei stretches his neck, raising an eye ridge. "Uh, Aunt April, I think Noah has Toxicodendron radicans."

Noah's eye's bulge. "Am I gonna die?" he yelps.

Hisao rolls his eyes.

Gray twists around, throwing his hands on Noah's arms. "I will save you! You'll be okay!" he cranes his head towards his brother, "What do we do, Kei?"

Kei sighs. "For starters, don't touch him. You've probably got it now too."

Gray sinks to his knees. "No! No!" he rubs his face then glances at his brother. "You'll cure us right, Kei?"

Kei blinks. "I'll point Aunt April and Aunt Exodus to the zinc oxide, ferric oxide blend in the first aid kit."

If I hadn't been at Donatello's side since I was sixteen I might not understand a word Kei is saying. But I do. His brother and cousin however…

"See," Gray lunges forward to wrap his arms around Kei who ducks out of his reach. "I knew you'd save us!" Gray pops at him again and Kei blocks him with his bo.

"Don't touch me, fool. I don't want it!" Kei loses ground, slips and slides into Hisao.

Oh, no.

Hisao bumps into Midori.

"Get off me!"

"You get off me!"

"Mom, it really, really itches!"

"Aunt April, I've got to pee."

"Mom, oh my god, seriously, are we ever going to get there?"

I close my eyes. Why did Leo pick me for this again? I turn around and keep walking.

"Wait, Aunt April! Wait, what's wrong with me and Noah?" Gray pleads.

"I told you, it's Toxicodendr—"

"In English, Kei! We speak English!" Hisao growls.

"And Japanese," Kei corrects.

"Shut up, nerd," Hisao shoves him.

My jaw shifts. I turn around right as Exodus whistles so loud it echoes off the valley and the kids cover their ears.

"That is enough! Noah, Gray, it's poison ivy. Midori move up behind April, Hisao you're now by me, Rachel get the Calamine Lotion from the first aid kit. Gray and Noah, help each other put it on so you don't contaminate anyone else. Kei, until further notice I need you to just automatically dumb it down for us, okay?" She looks at each of their faces.

All at once they nod.

Then Gray raises his hand.

Exodus huffs, "Yes, Gray. How can I help you?"

"I still have to pee."

**Raphael**

My stomach has been churning on itself since this whole thing started. Right now, I'm watching Zoe try to calm herself enough to sense our kids. She walks into the woods, just out of my line of sight.

"I say we each walk a mile out in a different direction, then meet up. Look for any signs of a trail." Leo is talking to us, but he's looking in the direction Zoe disappeared and he sounds like he actually wants to be told no.

We all stare into the cluster of pines.

The air is thin, cool, but there's no breeze to carry either kids scent, there's no mud to make footprints. My stomach rolls. And I know, that if my son doesn't want to be found… we ain't gonna find him.

Zoe reappears, a frown etched on her face. She stops in front of me, shakes her head. "They're not together. I don't know which one I'm sensing, but they're in opposite directions. One to the east, the other west." Her eyes flicker to my face then the ground, her lip trembling. "Andrea—"

My heart clenches. I know exactly what she's thinking. Because I feel it too. Of the two, I'm more worried for her safety.

Why Antonello? Why? And how can you not know your sister was following you?

I want to break down every tree in sight to clear our way, so we can see. I want the wind to blow up a scent. I want it to rain until the ground is slopping and there's no hiding of footprints. I want my daughter to have her bracelet or phone. I want her to have food, shelter, water…

In the span of a breath, my emotions have rolled like a great wave that grows and grows… or maybe it's a storm brewing… one where when it finally hits, whoever in my path is gonna be damn sorry to have crossed it. I glance at my brothers, the bruises on their faces. Know I've earned the one Zoe's planted on mine. Should've never lost it like that. Haven't come apart that way in years…

_I pace the bottom of the ravine. Want to search for them now. But can't find anything. Scoured the perimeter, know this wasn't their campsite from last night and want to pound my brother's for moving from it._

_My teeth grind together, so hard my jaw slips off to the side and I bite my cheek. Copper seeps onto my tongue and my hands curl into fists._

_Why Antonello? Why? Why? What could you possibly not come to us with?_

_The ground is cold beneath my feet, and the hardness of it unforgiving. My daughters bed tonight. If she lost Anton, this is her bed for the night. How cold's it going to get? I should ask Donatello._

_Donatello. Right after I choke the shit out of him. How the fuck did he let this happen? He's a damned genius. How did my brainiac brother let those two get by him? What the hell was he doing? Mike, I get, too laid back, his guard down, but Donnie…_

" _Raph?"_

_Really Michelangelo, are you that stupid?_

" _Leave him be, Mike."_

_And you're supposed to be so damn brilliant… yet you followed him here._

_You let my baby girl get lost. Know she's just a kid. That it was your job… "It was your job! IT WAS YOUR JOB, DONATELLO! IT WAS YOURS!"_

_I can't see, my eyes are wet, my blood is boiling and my fist seeks its victim, smashes into something._

" _RAPH!"_

_My baby girl is lost. Lost. Lost. Cold. Hungry._

_Lost._

_My knuckles smash into something else._

" _RAPH!"_

_I can't find a trail. What if it gets too cold? How long does it take a hybrid to starve? To dehydrate? What if someone finds her and tries to hurt her?_

_I swing again._

_I blink. I've got to see, but everything's so damn blurry._

_I make contact._

_Will destroy anything that tries to stand in my way._

_Swing again, nothing._

_I've got to see, got to find her._

_Keep her safe._

_The ground rushes up to my knees._

_Because I'm her dad._

_Three sets of arms wrap around me._

_And that's my job._


	9. Chapter 9

**Leo**

I'm relieved to have something to guide us with. "Okay, well, since Zoe has built in Hamato radar, Raph you and she head east. The four of us," I motion to Karai, Don and Mike, "We'll cover the west."

There's no nod, no affirmation. Our eyes meet then we turn and set off.

Hours slip by far too fast, and I feel like we're in a labyrinth searching for one leaf among millions. And in a way, that's exactly what we're doing, only our leaf keeps moving.

Donnie stops walking. "Leo, wait, I want to look at the map again." He pulls out a folded paper marked with the routes they'd taken. "This is really close to where we camped the other night. If one kid went east and the other west, then maybe we're tracking Andrea."

I lean over to see what he's looking at. "Why do you think this is Andrea?"

Donatello's finger runs along a series of human trails. "The red are for experienced hikers, the orange intermediate, and the green beginners. I've carefully avoided them all, but if I were Antonello and I wanted to choose the path that will minimize my chances of running into humans, I'd—"

"Choose to run parallel to the experienced trail." I nod.

Michelangelo looks over my shoulder, while Karai paces.

Donatello points, runs his finger along the green line. "We're heading straight for the beginner trail, Leo. If Andrea is lost, she'll wander right into either intermediate or beginner paths. The good news is she can handle the terrain, the bad news—"

"It's going to increase the chances of her running into humans." I finish for him again.

Michelangelo shakes his head. "Why's that bad? She can borrow someone's phone and call us."

She could. If she hadn't been raised to avoid them at all costs. My heart sinks. This is my fault. It's something I've impressed on them all. I never thought there would come a day when they might need to go to an outsider for help.

Donnie seems to read my mind. "We raised the kids not to trust humans. She might be too afraid to ask one for help."

Karai marches over. "Where's the closest trail?"

Donnie points to the map, a quarter mile further west. "There is a beginner and intermediate trail connection right there."

"Then that's where we're going," Karai says then looks west and starts walking.

"Wait? Why?" Mikey asks, scampering to catch up to her.

Karai stops, turns, and for a second I can see the teenage version of her. The one I fell in love with. The girl who'd looked fear in the eye and told it off. There was a gleam in her eye, yet a casual, 'yeah it might be risky, let's do it anyway,' way about her that to this day lights a fire in me.

"Because I will walk on the human trail while you guys stealth along the sides. Two of you will follow one trail, while I walk the other. If she's going to run up on a trail no matter what, then the only one of us who can walk out in the open where she's most likely to see us, is going to."

There's this version of her that takes charge of a situation, and although I'm our leader, I've learned that sometimes a good leader knows when to step aside. The thing is, in many ways, she taught me that.

"Leo? Are you listening?" She huffs her bangs from her eyes, tiny wrinkles flickering at their corners. She lifts one eyebrow, levels her gaze on me. "Who's not paying attention now?"

I blink.

The cropped black hair, mixed with blonde, the heavy make-up, want-to-be-thief, already trained assassin, faded away, and in her place my lifetime mate had risen. My insides warm, because she hasn't changed that much. Nothing we've encountered breaks her, she just rises to the challenge and I'm lucky enough to be beside her when she does.

My thoughts drift to our daughter, the one she gave me. The ache in my chest is great, filled with love for them both, and thought of this happening to Midori fuels my frustration at not having contributed anything worthy of my role, not yet this mission.

Karai's fingers stroke my arm, my thoughts evaporating as she blurs into focus and I look at her.

Her eyes dart between mine. "What?" She rolls her eyes. "Don't tell me you don't like my plan."

A small puff of air rushes from my nostrils, the corners of my mouth tipping up. My fingers, green, and far too big, stroke her cheek, then glide back through her hair and guide her close to me. My eyes close as I lower my lips to the crown of her head. "No, it's perfect."

"Not only is perfect, I think it's the right way." Mike motions us over to a cluster of trees, his eyes wide and hopeful. "Look what I found."

**Zoe**

I should be able to identify which child I'm sensing. I rub a hand over my face, sigh and lean back as we work our way down hill. I should be able to. So why can't I? Why can't I focus? They're all that's on my mind. If it was Raph's energy it would bounce up to me smacking me in the face. I take a deep breath, feel the cool air fill my lungs and my blood seems to shiver in response. I rub my arms.

"Are you cold?" Raph asks from behind me.

I stop walking, put my hand against a tree and rub my face again. "No. Yes. Maybe?" I shake my head. "I don't know."

I look up to the beams of light bleeding through vibrant yellow leaves, but they make no real heat. It's more of a lukewarm glow. The permanent lump in the back of my throat seems to flex its muscle and I'm afraid to speak.

If I'm cold, then she—

My vision blurs and I swipe at my eyes.

"Z?" He comes alongside me, reaches for my hand and I slide my fingers over his calloused, leathery palm. I tip forward, my brow finding his plastron.

"We've been walking for hours, Raph. And I don't know if I'm leading us in the right direction. I just feel this faint draw this way," I look up at him, my eyes watering, "if it were you I'd feel it like an earthquake, but" I shake my head, "this, is like a faint breeze."

He looks away, sighs then faces me again. "It has to be Antonello. He's shutting you out the way," he frowns, "the way I used to every now and then." He gives me a little squeeze. "Zoe, I'm glad you feel even that little breeze. Because this is Anton, and you are our only hope of finding him."

I'm our only hope… and I'm faulty, drowning in the battle of skill, my gift, and motherly instincts. All three seem to be competing with one another instead of flowing through me. How can I control this? How can I take my ability, and my instinct and melt the two together like a beacon?

My stomach hardens, then flutters and jerks. I'm so sick of feeling this way. My fingers curl and I flex every muscle in my body trying to push all the fear, the worry, the panic, try to drive it all out. I picture myself lassoing it all and shoving it through an open door then slamming it shut.

My son needs me.

I kick that door.

And I will be focused.

I will come through.

I will succeed.

We will find him.

My hands drift up, fingers curling over the bulk of Raph's arms and I lean on him, take a deep breath, and on the slow exhale, I let it all go.

Everything is clear, like a cloudless sky, only it's not blue, but a pale shade of gray. My surroundings are a blank slate, a clean page, an opening. I wiggle my fingers, feel my blood start to hum. It's not often that he's reached for me, not before I even seek him. But this time his energy crashes into me, almost knocking me back, and I reel before I'm able to absorb it.

Together, my power is amplified.

I'm in a vast, empty space, free of interruption, of distraction, a place to feel the electric thrum that vibrates off every living thing, and here I'm able to sort through it, to search for the one that I need. Here, there are five unique threads tied to me, the red one was chosen, offered, accepted and received, and therefore ties my soul to his. Five, were born of my body, and those, although also red, have links in them. One for every year of their lives, one for every memory shared, for every lesson learned, for every time they stopped my breath, stirred my heart, touched my soul. They are a part of this union, an extension of it, and it is only because one has taken more breaths than the others that I am able to determine which is which. The chain is longer, and as I follow it I can see places here and there where the links are separating…


	10. Chapter 10

**Andrea**

I can't tell what time it is. I should know this. It's a skill I learned when I was five. What did Uncle Donnie tell me?

I've gotten kinda shaky, like my blood is shivering or something. It's uncomfortable, almost itchy, tingly, and it's making me nauseous. Maybe the walnuts were bad.

The trail ahead is pretty level, with little slopes up and down here or there. It's worn out too, like it's travelled a lot. My stomach dips, my eyes searching far ahead.

If I find a camp or a ranger station what am I going to say? Do I hide my sai? My staff I can say is just a walking stick. I look down at my pink flannel pajamas, covered in a print of steaming cups of hot chocolate topped with marshmallows. My mouth wants to water, but it's still sticking to itself.

Hot chocolate with marshmallows. Uncle Mikey makes the best hot chocolate, although he taught me how to, and mines as good as his. I like it better when he does it. Extra marshmallows mean more when someone you love puts them in your cup. My lip trembles, my eyes blurring, and I blink, then swipe away useless, weak emotions that will not help me here.

Why didn't I just ask Uncle Mikey to take me to watch the stars again? He would've. And I wouldn't be lost right now. My heart pounds. He would've seen Anton, would've been able to keep up with him, stop him. Something salty falls on my lip. Then I wouldn't be here, and Anton wouldn't be out there somewhere.

"Hey, little girl." An unfamiliar, male, human voice rips me from my thoughts, slamming me back to the trail I'm walking on.

I want to kick myself for not paying attention, for letting my mind wander. I'm on a human trail! What am I doing? What was I thinking?

"Ye hear me, little girl?"

I turn to face the man attached to the sound that has every one of my senses flashing in bright red warning lights. My fingers curl, drawing my bo tighter in my grip. I feel my knuckles pull, my nails digging into my palm, gripping the wood like it's a lifeline. My uncle's instructions blink in my head.

" _Don't clench, treat it like it's a part of you, reaching where you're arms and legs cannot. It must be able to move, slide, if you're knuckles are white, it's too tight and you will not have flow. Nice firm grip, but not too tight, Andrea."_

"You a pretty little thin'." The man draws closer, closing the space between us. Faster than I'm comfortable with, not that I'm ready for human contact anyway.

I step back, and he steps forward. He's a bug-eyed thing, with ratty gray hair, a long scruffy beard, when he talks I don't see any teeth in his mouth. I take a deep breath and the stench of body odor courses in my nose, down my throat. My stomach rolls.

His eyes aren't working together, like one is dead staring off into nothing while the other drifts up and down over me. He looks at my pajamas, then my face. "Ye loss?"

Control your breathing. Calm your senses. Control. But adrenalin is pumping, rushing throughout and my head feels a little cloudy on the edges. You have to respond to him Andrea. He might— I look at his torn flannel shirt, his pants hanging off his skinny hips, and there are holes in his shoes. Oh, I don't know if he can help me.

"I ask ye' questyun. Ye loss?" He waves a dirty hand with dagger length fingernails in front of my face.

When did he get so close? How did I let him get so close?

"Ye got the shock, girl?"

My pulse is an audible sound in my head. Lost? Shock? Human? No, he called me a girl. He's the human.

"Com' wit ol' Benny, I take ye' ta' me place."

How do I know? How do I know which ones to trust? No. I can't go with him. No.

"Hey! Hey there! You get away from her!" Another male voice.

My heart soars then plummets. Because it's not one I know either.

My head turns toward the new voice. A tall, well-built man that kind of reminds me of Clark Kent, jogs forward.

"Get out of here you old bum!" The man waves a hand, shoos a reluctant Benny away. "Get out of here before I call the cops, you perv!"

Benny's one working eye widens and he slinks off into the woods.

The superhero look-alike flashes me a gorgeous smile and my heart flutters, a blush rising to my cheeks. Wow. He is beautiful.

The man thrusts his hand toward me. "Hi, I'm Jimmy Abbott. Are you," he gives me a quick look over, "are you lost?"

"Lost?" I echo, gazing into clear blue eyes framed in long dark lashes.

He raises a black eyebrow. "Yes, most people don't walk the trail in their pajamas."

My stomach growls, and I cover it with my hand, feel my face heat. "Oh gosh." I give him a sheepish grin. "Yeah, I guess, I kinda am… lost, I mean. He-he."

He motions me toward the rocks jutting out from the mountain in a steep slope to my left. "My camp is just up there. Come on, you can use my phone to call your family."

He starts off up the slope and my feet follow before I've commanded them to.

My stomach rumbles again.

He looks over his shoulder and winks at me. "We'll get you something to eat, too."

I nod absently.

Oh! My sai. He hasn't noticed them. I pull my pajama top over the waistband of my pants, hope to cover the handles.

"Uh, I need to use the little girl's tree. Can you wait for me, just right there and I'll be right back?"

Jimmy nods. "I'll even turn my back." And he faces the slope.

I rush to a cluster of pines and lay my sai on a bed of leaves, covering them. "Sorry babies. I don't want him to think I'm some crazy chick."

I tuck my bo under my arm, then dust leaf residue from my hands as I march toward Jimmy.

Food.

Shelter.

Call family.

Yes.

This is good.

**Antonello**

"Come on, Ellie. It's just over this hill. We're almost there." I turn and reach a hand out to help her up an incline that has taken us way too long to climb. I look up and realize we're not even halfway up.

Ellie frowns. "I have to stop, Antonello. I can't," her eyes fill, and it hits me like a sucker punch. "I can't," she looks around, "I need a trail, Anton. I can't do this anymore. I'm—" she motions to her belly then presses a hand to her face. "I'm pregnant. And I shouldn't be here. This shouldn't be happening. And I—don't—want—"

Oh god, she's falling apart!

"Want to do this anymore. So—I'm—sorry, but I need a trail." She swallows, wipes her eyes, her freckles seeming to stand out more against the red of her cheeks. The damn bruise beneath her eye, seems to mock me, when she flinches as she bumps it, then lets out a disgusted sigh.

I can't walk a trail. She's going to lead them right to us. What am I gonna do? I look at her, and she's done. It's clear in the slump of her shoulders, the dazed eyes, the way she keeps stumbling. There's a trail at the bottom of this, but I hate to backtrack, they'll gain ground.

Ellie stares off into space, sniffles and leans against a loose rock.

"Ellie, no!"

The rock shifts, falling away, sending her tipping backwards. Oh no! The ground beneath my feet crumbles as I reach out, grab her hand and swing her onto the flat rock jutting out above us.

"Antonello!" she screams as I scramble for footing, a rock, anything that will hold. I reach for my sai, try to drive it into the ground. Above me larger boulders tumble down. I dodge one, roll to the right while still sliding down, feel a rock beneath my sai wielding hand, and it doesn't give.

YES!

Seconds later a bowling ball size boulder smashes down on my hand. The edges of my sharpened blades cut into my fingers, the momentum of the stone forcing them apart.

"GAH! AGH!" I scream, dangling by my trapped, wounded hand.

"Anton!" Ellie shrieks, looking over the edge of the rock.

"Unh." I grunt, then swing my free hand up with all the force I can muster, to push the ball over. It rolls, tumbling, bouncing, crashing into the ravine below. "Agh!" I wince, trying to move my fingers. I use my good hand to cling to the rock, forcing myself to lift my injured one from the imprint of my weapon.

Once I've found my footing, I lean against the hillside and wonder what in the hell I'm doing. How bad would it have been to just ask my family for help?

My dad would've lost his shit.

"Antonello?" Ellie's voice is like a bird's song, light and airy, even when she's upset. She doesn't really have a deep boom, or a frightening bite, even when she's angry she sounds like a beautiful harmony. "Anton? Are you—losing it?"

Huh?

I look up at her. Her fair eyebrows are drawn together, her mouth open in question.

"Why do you think I'm losing it?" I grind out, shifting my weight and scaling the rocks to get to her.

She presses her lips together, her eyes narrowing. "You were laughing, just now. It was kind of—well it doesn't make sense. You're hurt, and you're laughing."

She reaches for my hand, winces to look at it and my heart starts to pound. She's worried about me. Me. _Me._ "Ellie," my voice is soft, gentle, and sounds strange to me.

"Yeah, Anton?" she's turning my hand, trying to stop the bleeding with her skirt.

"That trail sounds real good right now."


	11. Chapter 11

**Andrea**

The slope took longer to get up than I expected. When we reached the top, I was a little thrown by the solitary sleeping bag beneath a rock overhang. The way he talked on the way up I expected a campground full of people.

He looks around. "Huh? I guess they already cleared out and carried on." He shrugs then waves it off. "They know I'll catch up."

Jimmy picks up a black hiker's pack then sits on the sleeping bag, and begins to root through it. "My phone is in here… somewhere." His face disappears in the opening then he pops his head up. "Here it is!"

My heart soars. Yes! Mom, Dad, Uncle Donnie, Mikey, Leo, Aunt Karai, Aunt April, Exodus, I don't care who, I want to go home! I drop my bo and rush toward him, holding my hands out. He hands me the phone with a big smile, and as I take it in my hands a strange tingle creeps down my spine.

My gaze shifts from the black device, without really looking at it, back to him. His blue eyes dart from my face to the phone then off toward the stone wall beside us. His mouth is parted, his breathing pattern changed. His fingers curl over his lips, and he sniffles then looks at me expectantly.

My Uncle Leo's voice during one of his lectures, one that in this very second I'm glad I was listening to, comes to mind…

" _There are ways to tell if someone is lying to you." His eyes pinned on Midori and Rachel, then to me. We'd been caught in a three way lie, and he not only explained to us how it was wrong and dishonorable but went so far as to teach us how to recognize when others were deceiving us._

Jimmy clears his throat, but the sound is tight, almost like a scoff. I swallow, grip the phone, my eyes darting to it. I swipe the screen. Instantly, it lights up with a 'no service' message.

Oh no.

My eyes fly up to his face and he laughs. "Man, I forgot about that." His body shifts, shoving the bag away as he leans so close his cologne rushes in, choking the breath from me.

No.

NO.

He plucks the phone from my frozen fingers, tosses it aside then runs a hand down my shoulder.

Human.

Man.

Oh god.

I'm alone.

Lost.

His body shifts, pushing my shoulder back towards the sleeping bag. NO!

"NO!" I push back, my entire body tensing. "No," I grunt, struggling, as he smiles, his eyes lowering as he inhales my neck.

"Yes, YES… And you smell," he inhales again then licks my cheek and I flinch, struggle, feel bile rising in my throat, "as good as you taste." His body is over mine, his hand slips between us, fingers prodding, searching, reaching, and he touches me… THERE! NO! NO!

I want my mom. I want my dad. I want—him—off—me!

As he tries to force his tongue in my mouth I clench my teeth together, and want to reach for my weapons. My heart sinks. My weapons. My sai. The trees. My bo. I turn my head from side to side, trying to get my shoulder off the ground but he has me pinned. My bo. I open my eyes. See it lying in the dirt. God. I can't reach it.

"Ugh!" I grunt, trying to lift a knee as he works to push my legs apart. My blood heats, my heart pounds. I'm pinned. Pinned. PINNED. Only this isn't a sparring match. No one is going to call him off. PINNED. AND IT'S REAL.

"Stop—" he growls, lifting up, landing a fist to my face, "struggling!"

My world flashes with black, white, and gold. My eyes stinging and burning when I open them again.

What do I do? What do I do? Daddy, what do I do? Tears pour from my eyes.

I'm alone.

I want my mom.

Help me.

Please.

Somebody.

I want my dad.

Daddy…

My father's voice fills my head…

_A ninja is never defenseless._

_Anything can be a weapon._

_Andrea, you are a weapon._

"HELP! HELP!" I hear myself screaming, but Jimmy smothers my screams with his tongue. I struggle, feel his cold, thick muscle licking my mouth. I open wider, let him in as far as he wants to go and I bite down as hard as I can.

Copper splashes through my mouth and he jerks back, screaming. The second he lifts up my hands fly forward launching over his torso in a series of pressure point combinations that will buy me enough time to get to my weapon. As his body seizes upon itself I dive for my bo, feel my nostrils flaring, as I reach for it.

With my staff in hand I wheel around right as Jimmy is starting to move again. He spits out a mouthful of blood, moves to get to his feet and I hear a roar rip from my throat, the world around me fading to a blinding shade of white.

Wood crashes against bone, the sound like a hammer to a metal door. Then I feel the impact, the bone caving, the skeletal collapse recoiling through my weapon up into my palms.

I'm moving so fast, it's all happening so quick.

Then something happens to my precious weapon. It's fractured, snaps into two, in my hands. Yet I know what to do with a set of sticks too.

This asshole should be glad I don't have my sai.

My rampage continues, until I find nothing fighting me back. My body grows heavy, the curtain gradually receding. I sway. The stone wall seems to tip and I'd give anything for it to be white again when it fades to black.

**April**

At the bottom of the third dip in the mountain, before our final walk to the van, we stop for a break.

"We're almost there guys. You've done great." I wipe my brow, look at Exodus and she laughs.

The kids, all sitting on the ground munching granola bars and drinking water, look up at her.

Kei's head tips to the side. "Aunt Exodus, are you delusional?"

Exodus stares at him then laughs harder.

The kids all look at me. I shake my head, hold my hands up. "Don't ask me kids."

Exodus rolls her eyes. "It's just—you've been coaching them along, the same way—"

Understanding grips me, and I feel myself smiling. "Leo does." I nod.

"Yeah, you kind of have, Mom. It's been—" Rachel clears her throat and tries to imitate Leo's authorative tone, "the ground is loose here, mind your footing. Remember, we are ninja's we're supposed to be quiet. There should be no trace, no indication that we've been here."

I scoff. "I never said we are ninjas and we should be quiet."

Although, Leo has certainly worn that phrase out.

"You told us we were being a little too loud and might draw attention," Hisao says, scratching the back of his head.

Midori rubs her arm then her side. "That's pretty much the same thing."

"Mmm," I groan, leaning against a boulder. "I guess I kinda have. I'm sorry you guys. It's just a big responsibility guiding you home, and with all that's happening—"

"Don't be sorry," Gray comes over and puts his hand on my arm. I look in the boys familiar gray eyes, find it odd to see his mother in them, but at the same time his playful uncles open heart shining through. After all, it would seem that when they found each other, both Zoe and Raph's hearts burst wide open. The little boy standing in front of me was living proof of that.

"Aunt, April?" Gray moves his head so he's looking me in the eye.

I smile at him. "Yes, Gray?"

"I said, don't be sorry, because being compared to uncle Leo is a compliment." He nods. His expression is sincere as he waits expectantly for my reply.

I look at each of them, knowing that it takes every one of us to care for them all. But at the end of the day, Leo makes sure every role is being fulfilled, that all is in order, all is well. In a way, Leo stands watch twenty-four seven. And the next time I see him I'm going to thank him for not just that, but for trusting me with this responsibility.

"You know what, Gray," I nod, "you are absolutely right."

Gray is beaming, behind him the kids nod in agreement.

Exodus' head snaps up, her eyes sweeping left and right. She tips her chin, listening. "April—"

I nod, look at the boys. "All right boys, I need—" I look around, finding only Midori, Rachel, and Exodus left on the trail. "—stealth ASAP."

The girls draw close to us as a park ranger comes into view. "Ma'am," he tips his hat at me then Exodus.

"Hello," I greet him.

"Hi," Exodus whispers.

The officer looks at the girls. "Are you girls having fun out here?"

Midori and Rachel shrug, look indifferent.

The officer chuckles, then wipes his face. He turns to me again. "You, uh, ladies, doin' alright out here? This is a red trail. It's pretty advanced for kids."

My eyes dart to the girls as both of them straighten.

"Sir, my kids are a team, a family, and together we can conquer anything. A little trail like this," I wave my hand, "this is nothing."

His eyes dart to the kids, then back to me. "Well then you should be proud."

"Oh we are," Exodus pipes up.

"I feel that I should tell you something but I'm not sure the little ones should hear." The officer motions me aside, and as I follow him just out of earshot, there's a tightness settling in my chest. "Mam, there's an escaped convict been sighted in these mountains. I'm afraid he's a pedophile. Pretty dangerous. We're recommending that parents get their children from the mountain until he can be remanded. We are offering an escort. Would you like me to accompany you down the mountain?"

My stomach is turning, heart pounding. I have to call the guys. Andrea. Oh, god.

"Mam? Are you, okay?"

The officer reaches out to touch my arm and I jump, my eyes shooting to his face. Behind him Exodus is drifting closer.

"No, no thank you. We're almost there, will be there and on our way home before dark. And, if we need help we'll call." I pull my cell phone from my pocket, show him that we have service.

He nods. "Okay, if you're sure. But if you see anything suspicious call 911 or here, take my card. It has my cell on it."

"Yes, thank you."

As the ranger disappears down the trail, my eyes shoot to Exodus face, "I've got to call Donnie."

Exodus glances toward the girls, while I speed dial Donatello. One by one the boys slowly reappear, like little crabs peeking out of their holes on the beach.

"Is everything okay, April?" Don answers after what can't be more than one ring.

"Yes and no," I reply just as quick. "The kids are all fine. I mean, I'm pretty sure by the end of this they will all have Noah's poison ivy, but we're making good time."

"That's good news, well not the poison ivy—" Donnie begins.

Mikey cuts him off. "So what's the bad?"

"We just ran into a park ranger—" I begin but he interrupts.

"Did he see the boys?" Leo blurts out.

"For crying out loud, let the woman talk!" Karai huffs.

I look at my phone. "I'm just going to assume I'm on speaker then."

"Yeah, I knew everyone would want the update." Don replies.

I take a deep breath, know that the minute I ask this, if they can hear me they'll want to know why I don't want them to hear. "Okay, but Zoe and Raph can't hear me, right?"

Donatello clears his throat. "N-n-no. This isn't the radio. But you knew that when you called me on the cell instead. What's… going on, April?"

"The park ranger did not see the boys. But he did stop to talk to me. There's a pedophile, a convict loose in the mountain. They're trying to evacuate all of the kids. I just, I thought about Drea' and I thought you guys should know… but I don't think we should tell Raph and Zoe. It won't help them find her any faster and—"

"I understand, April." Leo says before Donnie can reply. "We'll just have to step up our game. Just focus on getting the kids down the mountain safe."

"Will do, Leo."


	12. Chapter 12

**Zoe**

Why my son is following a human trail, I don't know. But we've been parallel to it for so long that I've started walking on it. I can move faster over it, and Raph can move easier without me stumbling over rocks every five feet, holding us up.

I hear talking ahead, and kneel down, fake tying my shoe. I spy Raph slinking into shadow off to my left. Just ahead, three middle-aged men approach.

A guy with a surfer-looking mop on his head, stops just feet ahead of me. "Are you out here all by yourself?"

Finishing up my faux-tying job, I stand and smile at them. "Yeah. I'm a writer, on a retreat." I motion to the colorful canopy of leaves above me. "Such an inspirational setting, I should have a finished novel when I leave here. What about you?"

Great Zoe, strike up a nice long chat. Raph is probably rolling his eyes right now.

"What kind of story can you make up for a beat up, pregnant chick hiking the Adirondacks?" Surfer-hair guy asks.

I stare at the guy, a little thrown. What kind of question is that?

One of his friends comes forward, clears his throat. "There was a rough-looking pregnant girl we passed a little while ago." He shakes his head, "She couldn't be more than a teenager. We offered to get her some help. But she refused. I think maybe it's because we're a group of guys, and she's out here all alone. Maybe—"

My heart is pounding, a possibility beginning to form in the back of my mind. But I don't want to seem too eager, and I don't want it to be true. "Sure," I frown, "I understand. What did this girl look like?"

The third guy, taller than the other two, speaks up, "She's a petite blonde, blue-eyes, one has a bruise under it. She looks to be about five or six months pregnant. I'm pretty sure she's the only pregnant chick you're going to find hiking the Adirondacks. It's pretty unusual."

It's her. Oh, god, it's her. I feel like the wind's been knocked out of me. But not only can I not seem overly interested, to these men who think she's in trouble, but Raph is watching— and he's going to be pissed when he finds out.

I swallow, feign a polite smile. "I see. About how long ago did you pass her?"

Surfer-hair looks at his military-style watch. "About a half hour ago. She's kinda slow, was taking a break when we passed her. A fit chick like you should be able to catch her in no time."

I shrug. "Well, if I see her, I'll ask if there's anything I can do to help her out."

"Makes me feel better about leaving her back there," tall guy says.

Anton, what have you gotten yourself involved in?

I tighten my laces for real this time, hearing the men lingering close enough that Raph won't come out yet. Then I stand and break into a jog. I don't want to have this talk with him. Not yet. I want to catch up to Ellie and my son, find out what the hell is going on. I swallow, moving quickly down the trail. I need to hear straight from Antonello's mouth, and I don't want to jump to any conclusions.

As I round the bend the trail ahead is steep. No wonder she was taking a break. This is way too much for a pregnant woman, er-uh- teen? I suck my bottom lip into my mouth. Please don't let this be my son's child. Raph will kill us both.

Coming to a stop at the base of the ravine, I scan the forest floor looking for a walking stick. I can feel Raph closing in on me, wish I could keep moving, but don't want any delays making it up this hill. I kick some leaves around with my foot, until I find what I'm looking for. Right as I bend over to pick it up, I sense him.

"What the hell?" he snaps, two green feet landing hard on the ground before me.

I close my eyes, and sigh.

"You straight cheetah ran the last five hundred yards, Zoe. Why? I know you're not looking for some pregnant chick in a damn mountain. We don't have time for that shit. We've got our own kids to find." He's staring at me, and I can't bring myself to look at him.

I'm not a liar, unless you count lying by omission, and right now I'm guilty as hell of that.

If I didn't know this girl, which I do, but if I didn't, and I ran into a beaten pregnant woman out here all alone, I'd stop to help her. I'd get her somewhere safe then get right back to looking for my babies. My heart aches. She's someone's baby too.

"You're wrong, Raph. You would help her. There's no way you'd see a beat up pregnant woman and not stop. It's just not who we are."

He sighs. "Yeah, but is that what you're doin'? Cas' you straight left me back there like you found one of our kids, knew I'd catch up and didn't want them to get away."

I chew on my lip, bend over and pick up the walking stick. "We need to get up that hill and down that trail in ten minutes. Then we might have a chance of catching up to her."

I move to ascend the slope, but Raph's hand comes down on my bicep. "Why do we need to catch up to this girl, Z?"

"We just do. We need to help her, Raph." I take a step forward, but he spins me around.

"Look me in the eye, right now, Zoe." I can feel his eyes boring into me, his fingers just slightly digging into my arm. My eyes shoot to the sky, sideways to the trees, to our feet. He puts a finger under my chin. "What the hell is goin' on?"

"I-I think, maybe Anton is trying to help her." I press my lips together, my eyes darting to him then past him.

He's silent.

Silence from Raphael is more terrifying than his volcanic eruptions. When someone with a bad temper actually takes the time to think before they explode, well that's thought out fury. When he was younger he'd throw a fit and gradually wear himself out to the point we'd talk about it. Through the years it's kind of flipped. Now he thinks about it, and kind of revs himself up even more, so when he actually comes loose it's—

His fingers part, his hand drops to his side.

Seconds pass, and I start to fidget.

"We need to go, they'll be gaining ground. We could lose them. Raph, we need to go, now." I move to pick up the trail, take a few steps then hear him.

His voice starts out low, menacing, in such a way that my feet feel like they've been bolted to the earth. "He knows a human girl. And you knew about it."

The hairs on the back of my neck rise, and I think maybe I resemble a cat scooped up by her scruff. I drop my head, staring at the crumpled, withered leaves that blur and fade into the distance…

_Antonello had been gone longer than he should be. He must've left the main trail, or gone farther than usual. I moved quickly, eager to find him before his father did. Then I rounded a corner, I'd not walked since he was four. There were no tracks, but I could sense him, felt him close._

_There in the tall grass, just as the edge of the forest, the grass was bent over like a deer had bedded down. Only in this nest, my son lay on his shell with one foot perched across his knee, and a mess of blonde curls strewn across his plastron. A young girl was using him for her pillow. There was laughter, sweet like a melody, hers and his together._

_My heart skipped beats, and I spied on them a while. Saw the light in his eyes, same as it had been the day he met her. And he'd only been a child. She was talking to him, but I couldn't make out her words. She giggled, her eyes bright blue, wide and open. She twirled a long stem of grass in her fingers, held it up and he took it, worked it into a bracelet and gave it back to her. The entire time, he never stopped smiling._

_A lump rose in my throat. I stepped forward, rustling the grass as I made my way to them. Letting him know I saw them. The girl sat bolt upright, fear darkening her delicate features. Antonello's eyes met with mine, and he guided the side of her head to his lips, whispered something in her ear. She got to her feet, smiling at me._

_I came to a stop before them. "Antonello, your father is expecting you. I think, you should tell your friend goodnight, and head home."_

_Anton stared at me, the light in his clear green eyes darkening to a shade of forest. I'd seen Raph's do the same thing, when he was pissed, or when something hurt him. The two typically went hand in hand. "Mom, this is my friend, Ellie."_

_Ellie thrust a skinny, trembling hand out to me. Her other palm clutched the hem of a fraying homemade skirt. "I remember you," she beamed, "You're Zoe, and your daughter's name was Andrea. You took me home once, met my Momma and my brothers and sisters." The apples of her delicately-freckled cheeks flushed pink, and she fidgeted, her eyes darting from me to Antonello._

_The connection between them thrummed in the air, like a live wire snapping and popping. Raph would be livid, I knew it, as I took her hand in mine. I knew it then. And as Antonello climb to his feet grinning a familiar lopsided grin, I knew I just accepted a role in something possibly unforgiveable._

"Answer me, Zoe!" He roars, the ground beneath my feet vibrating as his voice echoes off the trees, recoiling and hitting my ears like they're wired for a concert.

"I can't." I wave a helpless hand at him, look to the darkening sky, where the sun is slipping behind the mountains. I turn, drive my stick in the ground and set to work climbing the hill.

"Don't walk away from me! Don't you dare!" He's in front me in a flash, teeth bared, eyes searing. "Tell me, you didn't know about this? You didn't let him get involved in some kind of _something_ with a human girl! TELL ME!" His hands rise before me, opening and closing as if he wants to grab my arms and shake me.

Air rushes in and out my nose, my head tipping back just a bit, and I debate defending my position. My voice comes out smaller than I want. "We're wasting time, Raphael. We need to go. If you want to yell at me, do it while you climb." I try to go around him, but he blocks me with only a swipe of an arm.

I huff, my shoulders dropping, my eyes shooting to his. "What do you want me to say?"

His gaze burns into me. "That it's not true. But you can't say that, can you, Zoe? It's obviously something. So what is it?" He throws his hands up. "Those guys said this girl's pregnant." He points uphill. "Is it Anton's kid? Huh? ANSWER ME, ZOE!" His mouth comes so close to my cheek my hair blows back. "What kind of shit is he involved in?"

My teeth grind together and I know, the only way I'm getting up that hill, to help my son, my daughter, and that girl, is to have it out with Raph first. There's one question blazing in the back of my mind.

When it's over, will I be climbing alone?

He's yelling again, "Do you have any idea how dangerous this is for him? Because, you of all people should! After everything you've been through." He shakes his head, sneers then thrusts his face in mine. "ARE YOU TRYING TO GET HIM KILLED, ZOE?" He spins around, lands a fist into a tree trunk that sends it folding over itself.

I blink, feel the ground tremble beneath his wrath, and decide— I will not do the same.

My jaw clamps tight, my lips pursing as I set my eyes on him. My voice comes out low, even…threatening. "Knock it off."

He straightens, turns to face me. "What'd you say?"

"I said, knock— it— off. You should be familiar with the phrase. It's one of your favorites." I shrug, "I like it. It's effective—"

He cuts me off, rushing up to me, his eyes darting over mine. "You, knock it off. This ain't a damn joke." With an equally aggressive tone he demands, "You tell me what the hell is going on with our son. Then you're going to tell me why you lied about it."

I'm not backing down. I meet his glare with a level head. "If I lied, it was by omission. You didn't ask, I didn't volunteer. He has one, human friend. And yes, she is a girl." I wave my hand at him. "Hell, Raphael, you had April. Tell me why he can't have one human in his life?" I speak, and am surprised he lets me finish, although he rolls his eyes when I mention his longtime friend.

"Zoe," He blinks, his jaw shifts, then he continues, "Where are we right now?" he motions around us. "Huh? Where are we? And why? Why are we here right now?" His nostrils flare, his eyes boring into me. "This," he looks around then back to me, "this is what comes of sneaking around, and keeping secrets. Two things, I thought I could trust my partner not to do."

I flinch— feel like he's slapped me across the face. But he's never raised a hand. Still, I have a terrible soft spot for my kids. I want them to have every opportunity, to be happy. And Antonello was thrilled to have a friend outside of our family. One of his own. Tears prick my eyes.

Raph stares at me.

I look at him.

"I'm sorry I kept this from you. That was wrong," I swallow, look him in the eye, "but so are you." My lip trembles, the frown of my mouth hurting worse than the lump in my throat. "See Raph, she is his friend. His own. And that was all he wanted, needed. If we hadn't denied him of that, if you hadn't, then whatever this is," I motion toward the hill, "he would've come to us about it. We could've helped them. But no," tears slip down my cheeks, onto my lips…

"You forbid this, and now he's running, she's pregnant, might be his, might not, I don't know that. And somewhere, trying to follow him is our daughter. So, blame me if you want, because I don't want to put it on you, but I could, and I know he will."

I swallow hard, know I'm either hurting him or pissing him off more, maybe both. But I also know I'm not done. "Look, you can either say to yourself, hey I might've made a mistake. We're mortal, we do that shit. Keeping this from you, that's my bad. But this is your chance, to get behind him, and make this as safe for him as you possibly can. But he's willing to fight for her. So, I'm going to find those kids, and I would love it if you came with me. But if you won't," I level my eyes on him, "get the hell out of my way."

I step around him, begin my climb… and he doesn't stop me.


	13. Chapter 13

**Zoe**

The hill is a half hour behind me, the sun down, my insides feeling washed over and wrung out. He follows in silence, hasn't spoken a word in hours. But he's with me. In many ways, his not yapping and running his mouth, leave me more off kilter than if he'd been telling me off the entire hike. I don't like it.

I keep moving, even as my limbs grow heavy and the battery in my flashlight dims. Raph's walkie crackles to life and Leo's voice fills the air. "Zoe, Raph, we have an update. We picked up a trail— looks like it might be—."

Michelangelo cuts him off, "It's Andrea! And she's so smart you guy's, she's drawing our crest in the mud intersections then leaving a trail of twigs that resemble weapons in between. And she's not hiding all of her footprints, but not leaving a solid trail. If you weren't actively searching for someone, the ways she's done this, no one would notice it."

For the first time in three hours Raph and I look at each other. He pulls the radio from his belt. "How old's it look?"

"Fresh," Donatello chimes in, "We're close, Raph. We're gonna keep walking, look for signs of a fire." He clears his throat as if suddenly uncomfortable. "We heard from April a little while ago."

He pauses again and my heart picks up pace.

Then Leo's voice comes through. "They made it to the van and everyone is on their way home safe."

Raph stares at the radio. "Okay. Good. Keep us posted." He hesitates, looks at me, and I can't for the life of me recognize what I'm seeing. Then he says, "I think we've picked up a trail for Anton. I'm pretty sure of it. So, uh, you guys, find our girl. Zoe and I, we're gonna find Antonello."

"The second we find her, we're coming to help you," Leo says.

"Guys, I appreciate that, but I think," he looks at me, "this is something Zoe and I need to do alone."

Michelangelo chimes in, "If you change your mind Raph, just call."

"Keep us posted on Drea'. Get her home safe guys."

"On it," Mike replies.

"We're going to keep looking for Drea' a little longer," Leo continues, "then we'll bunk down for the—" He's still talking when Karai cuts him off.

"I want to talk to Zoe. Give me that. Don't look at me like that Leonardo, give me the damn,—" there's sounds of a scuffle, before Karai's voice comes through clear, "Zoe, you haven't said a word. Are you okay? Is there something else going on?"

I look at Raph. He hands me the radio then turns away.

"Zoe?" Karai repeats.

It's my mistake, and the price, as it always is in this family, is high. I've let Raph down, and I need to own up to it. I look at the radio, depress the button.

"Guys, I— I— this may be my fault," I lick my lips, "no, it is. Antonello has been sneaking over to a neighboring farm to hang out with a girl. I knew about it, and I let him go." I open my mouth to continue, but Michelangelo interrupts me.

"You mean Ellie?" he lets out a nervous giggle, "Z, he's been friends with her for years. I thought, I dunno, the kids all know about her. Heck, I know April knows about her, and that means Donnie does."

"Thanks a lot, Mike," Donatello grumbles.

Raph's head makes an awkward turn, his hands curling into fists as he gets to his feet. He snatches the radio from me. "Who all in this family knew about this? I want every single name. What the hell are you all thinking?"

Silence.

Then Karai comes through, voice a little low, especially for her. "Raph, I knew. Everyone except for you and Leo knew." Her voice grows in confidence, "Splinter knows. Antonello talked to him about her."

My heart is pounding. Raph is staring at the radio. I reach for it, and he lets it fall into my hand before he turns and walks into the woods.

"Guys, I'm glad Anton felt like he could talk to you about her. Although, if that's the case—I'm not sure why he hasn't gone to one of you instead of—" my breath hitches, as understanding dawns on me, "Oh god, it's his baby."

Karai, Don, Mike, and Leo speak all at once, "What?"

With trembling fingers I fumble to push my finger over the speaker button. Oh, god. Oh, god. Oh, god. I'm going to be sick. My eyes dart to the cluster of trees Raph has vanished into. No. Oh, no. Some part of me has been denying this as a real possibility. If this is the case, and it only makes sense, otherwise he would've come to—

"Zoe!" Karai yells over the three brothers rambling incoherently.

I can make out Leo lecturing about this being exactly why our kids can't get into relationships with humans. But whatever is being said between Donatello and Michelangelo sounds like a mix of optimism and logic.

"Quiet down! The lot of you, shut up!" Karai demands. Even Leo falls silent. "Zoe, you need to explain what is happening."

The air falls silent.

Baby. I close my eyes. He's only seventeen. This can't be happening.

"Zoe?" Karai brings me out of myself, and I wish she were with me.

"Karai," I breathe, hear my voice tremble, hate myself for the universe spinning around me. _Enough Zoe, your son needs you, and no matter what he's facing, you've got his back. Now act like it!_ I take a deep breath and begin. "We don't know for sure. There were some guys hiking on this trail, said they saw a blonde hair, blue-eyed, pregnant teenager travelling alone ahead of us. I can sense Antonello not far from me, and the way they described the girl, it made me think of Ellie. And I can't think of any other reason, he'd run away from home."

"Okay. Look, that doesn't make the baby his. You need to stop jumping to conclusions— find him, and hear what he has to say."

"I agree," Donatello's tone comforts me and I want to hug him.

"Yeah, Z. You and Raph, you've been great parents to Anton. He's going to realize he needs you guys, and when that happens, he'll come looking for you." My orange clad brother's optimism warms my heart. I might even believe him, and it wouldn't be the first time he's been right about something important.

There's a few moments of quiet before Leo speaks.

"Whatever is happening, we will find Antonello, and we'll get through this together. It's going to be okay, Zoe." He takes a near silent breath, then whispers, "I'm going to assume Raph's gone."

I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and reach out in the invisible bubble of life that surrounds me. But I can't feel him. It doesn't mean he isn't there, and hasn't just shut himself off to me. Although he could just as easily, be gone. "I can't feel him, Leo."

"Do you want me to meet up with you?" The oldest brother asks.

I stare into the trees, wish Raph would come back and talk to me. I want him with me through this. Whatever it is, I want him with me. Our kids— us— together, whole and happy like we were just seventy-two hours ago, that's what I want. But he's gone, I can't feel him. He's shut me out. Anton's running. Andrea's still missing. My world is crumbling, and I know, that even so, I'd still have Raph— if I hadn't kept this from him. A muffled noise slips from me. What if he's given up? I feel the ground rushing up to my knees.

"Give me your coordinates Zoe. I'll be there right after we find Andrea and I send her home with Karai, Mike and Don."

Karai scoffs. "No way, I'm coming with you."

Tears are slipping down my nose, dripping onto my lips. My body is jerking, as great sobs erupt and I didn't even realize it was happening. I don't answer Leo. Hear him saying something to Donnie about tracking me by radio. I reach down and shut it off. I curl up, draw my arms around my legs and drop my chin to my knees.

**Andrea**

"Girl', girl', you okay girl?"

My body is heavy and doesn't want to move before my mind… or it needs to catch up or something. My cheek hurts, and as I lick my lip I taste blood and flinch. I blink as the scent of body odor overwhelms me and I think I may vomit.

Late night cold seems to seep up through the ground and hold me to it. It's so dark out. I blink. Dark. Benny's face comes into focus and he flashes me a horrible toothless grin. "Ye' okay? Ye' sure gave that boy a whoopin'. Ye' a tough lil thin, ain't ye?"

There's a twinkle in his one good eye and I find myself chuckling. "You have no idea, Benny."

He reaches behind him, brings forth my sai. "Ye' broke yer' stick on that there boy. But I brought ye' things, in case ye' need'em. Look like ther made fer killin'. Ye justa kid. Don' need that kinda troubles."

His eye darts over my shoulder and with a terrible ache I manage to roll to my side and see the heap that is Jimmy Abbott. If that's even his real name.

"Cept' it's seems ye' had' them kinda' troubles." Benny sighs. "S'why I liv in the woods."

Yeah. It's probably why my dad keeps us locked up at home too. I shift to lean back on my hands and the second my palm touches the ground an electric jolt shoots up through my wrist.

"AH!" I flinch then try to move my fingers. They wiggle, but my thumb won't budge. It's hard to see in the silver of moonlight but the whole thing looks swollen. My stomach rolls, and I shiver horribly. I try to shift my weight to my other side but my arm buckles and my body starts to shake. Tears fill my eyes and my teeth chatter. "I j-j-j-just w-w-want t-t-to g-go h-home."

"Shh! Girl there's somethin' on the trail. Shush now." Benny peers over the edge of the rock jutting out over the slope.

"W-w-what?" I try to clench my teeth to make them stop but my body is flashing hot and cold and my muscles cramping.

"It-It-ain't human. Don' think. Shush. Shush now. You'll bring it on us." Benny backed away from the ledge.

Not human.

Could it be?

"H-h-h-hELP! H-h-h-hELP!" Tears stream down my cheeks, my chest shuddering and trembling, my voice fading to a pathetic feeble sound, "Please…"

"ANDREA?"

Aunt Karai!

I open my mouth and nothing comes out. Oh no. No. I lick my lips, but a sob breaks free. "Please, Aunt K-k-kkarai."

"Sounds like yer' family?" Benny asks already inching toward the tree line.

"Y-y-yes," I stammer, "T-t-t-hankyou B-b-b-benny."

He backs away, disappearing into the woods, in an all too familiar way.

"Andrea!" My Uncle Leo appears at the top of the slope. He darts over to me, his eyes flashing around taking in the scene. "How bad?"

But I can't answer him. I can't see. I can't form words. I don't think I've ever cried so hard, or ever been so glad to see someone in my life. He scoops me up, and I hook my good arm around his neck, clinging to him knowing…

It's over.

I'm safe.

My heart slows.

My body releases.

My eyes close.


	14. Chapter 14

**Zoe**

"You are wastin' time, Sleepin' Beauty."

My eyes fly open to early morning light, a travel pillow under my head, a familiar red sleeping bag wrapped around me, the scent of cedarwood oil wafting up from the corner I'm clutching against my cheek. A small fire pops and cracks, just a few feet away.

Raph sits on the bed of leaves surrounding me, staring into the flames. Flickers of red dance around in his eyes, they're glossy, and bloodshot. Tiny wrinkles have creased his face, intertwining with the scars of battles fought long ago. He breathes in through his nose, out through his nose, and the sound is soft, although the mass of him is great. It never fails to soothe me.

I roll to my side facing him, prop my head up on my hand. He came back. I want to reach for him, feel his mouth against mine, drink him in, smother him with my love. He came back.

But he left on his own, and as he returns on his own he must make the first move. I don't know what he thinks, where we stand. He could've come back just for Anton. I should've known he would. He'll always be there for his kids, whether they curse him, run from us, or get themselves into something that could rain hell down on us all. And if Antonello has gotten this girl pregnant, that could very well be the case.

He presses his lips together, glances at me in his peripheral. "You were out cold, curled up and shivering like a dying animal," he snorts, "it was kinda pathetic."

Is he teasing me? I feel my mouth fall open, close it and sit upright, trying to read him. Or is he trying to pick a fight? "Well if you're still mad, Raphael, why'd you go through all the trouble of making me comfortable?"

His gaze shifts from the flames to me. "Because I have to. We've got five kids." He shrugs and I stare at him, know there's more. And wait.

He grumbles, shakes his head. "Look, I've seen you almost die, I don't want to count how many times," his eyes close and he takes a breath, "Hell I've seen you fight, when the odds are stupid against us. And you've been hurt so bad I didn't think you'd see the next day. And for three months you didn't remember. You didn't remember me. How we met, our kids, our family, you gaining control, you finding a place to call home, none of it. And when you finally remembered, I swore I'd never let you go again. And I won't. You— you changed me, my life. Made me better, whole, as close to a real man as I'm ever gonna get" tears threaten him, and I want to stop him. His jaw shifts, "you are my best friend, Zoe." He grabs me, yanks me to him, presses his mouth to my forehead. "Don't ever keep anything from me ever again. I don't care what it is, I trust you more than anyone and I can't— I can't be without that."

I wrap my arms around his neck, bury my face there, feel his cool, leathery skin against my cheek, and breathe in the wild scent of him. "You are wrong about one thing, Raphael."

"What?" he hums into my hair.

I pull away, look in his gorgeous green eyes, feel my soul reach for him and his greet me with arms open. "You shouldn't compare yourself to man. You surpass that. Man has nothing on you, or your brothers. Don't want that for yourself. That's not what you should measure yourself against. The human race, whether you know it or not, it can't touch who you are. Any man would be lucky to have a fraction of the heart you four do."

Karai's voice cuts the air, "I couldn't agree, more."

Raph is staring at me as I look at my sister, and find our blue-clad brother right beside her, a smirk plastered on his face.

"She wasn't staying behind," Leo shrugs then points to the radio resting on top of my bag. "Good thing Donnie has a tracker on those that doesn't depend on them being turned on."

I open my mouth to reply, but find Raph's lips there. Part of my brain says we're being watched and should stop. But he tastes like honey, my heart is pounding, my fingers find his pebbled cheeks and his slide through my hair. He came back. And I love him—will never, ever stop.

"Ugh! Stop that!" Karai snaps, kicking the sleeping bag.

Raph and I part, only to stare at each other. He flashes me a half-hearted version of his lop-sided grin.

"Ahem," Karai clears her throat, "We've got news."

"We found Andrea, last night," Leo begins, and I look closer at him and Karai, trying to gauge if it's going to be good or bad news. He's been going non-stop, same as Raph, and the rest of our family, for three days now. No wonder I finally passed out. Streaks of red lace Leo's blue eyes, Karai, beside him has black circles under hers, and her hair, tied back in a loose ponytail has wild fly-away strands sticking up everywhere.

I try to see past the exhaustion, to sense the state of their emotional being. My heart jerks to life, picking up an irregular beat, one with great reservation, slightly suppressing hope.

"Is she, okay?" I know she's alive, I can feel that. What I can't determine is her state of being.

Karai grabs Leo's hand, gives it a squeeze then steps towards me and I slink back into Raph's plastron. She opens her mouth but Leo speaks first. "She's a little banged up, abrasions, a sprained wrist," Leo looks to Raph then swallows, "She had a run in with a guy—"

Raph seems to grow three sizes right beside me, his hands slipping from around me into fists at his sides.

Leo shakes his head. "Relax Raph, beyond a black-eye and busted lip, as bad as that sounds—"

Karai talks over him, "She laid the guy out! Had him tied up with his own shoestrings. He was still unconscious when we found her. She said something about never giving her dad grief about going out in the woods alone, ever again." Her dark brows lift, as she crosses her arms over her chest. "I'm proud as hell of her."

Leo looks at Raph. "She broke her bo-staff on this dude. And don't ask me how she managed that. The guy wasn't small, at least three times her size."

Karai laughs, "She was so upset about losing her weapon. Donnie kept promising her it was okay, he can make her another."

There's a glint in Raph's eye, as he gives a nod of approval. "Good girl, Drea'."

"She really wants to see you both. But I told her, you had to find Antonello, then you'd be home." Leo points to the bags, "And we're ready to go, hiked all night to get here. Donnie and Mikey are taking Drea home. All that's left to do is catch up to Anton."

Raph looks at me, and I give him a nod. I'm ready.

He looks at our sister and brother.

"Let's do this."

**Zoe**

We've been walking for hours. I can sense him, but so far that's all we've had to go on. Leo and Raph keep pace with one another, like they're teenagers in competition. Not that I think that part of their relationship has ever changed much. Karai is planting one foot before the other in deliberate motions, her eyes heavy, shoulders beginning to slump. If I hadn't had three hours of sleep, I'd be just as bad right now.

I'm hanging back with her, the boys stopping to ask me which way ever so often. I've never been so grateful for my ability, as to finding our children. Karai leans against a tree, stopping for a drink. She lifts the bottle to her lips and I look around us. No, if I wasn't an empath, Antonello hasn't left any kind of indication as to where he or Ellie have been. He's been covering her tracks too. God, I'm grateful they've been trained so well, if they hadn't Andrea could've been seriously hurt or worse, but at the same time it makes Antonello damn near invisible.

Raph and Leo stop at the top of the hill, looking to where Karai and I are halfway up. He forces a grim smile, and I wish we were out here playing around, not hunting a stray child. Something on the trunk of the tree by his shoulder catches my eye.

"Raph, what is that?" I point behind him and he turns.

His fingers dab at the red smear.

"Blood, and it's fresh." As Raph's gaze falls to the ground around him, Leo mimics the action. Karai and I scramble up the hill.

As I reach the top Leo points. "It goes that way. What do your senses tell you, Zoe?"

I don't have to touch those scarlet drips, don't have to reach out and feel the life surrounding me, my heart is slamming against my sternum, feet stepping into a run. Trees whiz by, a blur of golds, reds, and oranges, the sky is a clear brilliant azure. My gaze drifts as I run, falls to the leaves underfoot, sienna, coffee, taupe, black in places, tiny clusters of violets, all the colors of my life. But there is one that is off season right now, and as I round the fourth turn I catch a glimpse of it, emerald and flawless, unmarred by the scars born by his mother or father.

"ANTONELLO!" I hear myself scream, digging into the earth beneath my feet, pushing it hard away from me, feel my lungs burn, the edges of my vision starting to blur. I'm a sprinter. I know the risks.

The forest edge is just a head, the sound of a train thundering through the valley below. A train. A train. Oh, no. No! Just beyond the tree line he vanishes. And he'd hid her so well I never saw so much as a blonde hair. I slide to a stop at the edge of a cliff, look to the hazy, long black train rolling into the station below.

One hour. That's all the time I've got, to stop him from making it to that train and running away with Ellie to New York City.

I stand panting, eyes scanning the perimeter. My fingers are tingling, as I slip my bag from my back, fumble around the pockets for my inhaler, never looking away from the field grass, the trees, the ground. I'm searching, hope for another smudge of blood, a broken blade of grass, the rustle of anything not made by wind. But as I tell my lungs to pull air in, they collapse, my world pitches to the right and my knees give. I sway hard, the world spiraling into blackness as I lose my balance and roll back. Only there's no ground beneath me.

"MOM!" I hear Antonello scream, as I look through blind eyes in the direction of his voice, feeling the air rushing around me.


	15. Chapter 15

**Antonello**

I dive over the edge, with no plan as to what's going to stop me. But I'm going to reach her, or die trying. I clench my teeth and thrust out my wounded arm, snatching her ankle with it, feel the pain shoot through my fingers in such a way the nerves jump and I almost drop her. Then I feel her ankle pop, realize I have her bad one and clamp my eyes shut. Sorry Mom.

I look again, bringing my other hand around, right as something hard latches onto me, jerking me back.

A peek under my arm shows my dad hanging onto me, while my Uncle Leo holds onto him with one arm, and a rope with the other.

"Gah!" Leo howls. "Raph, we're too old for this!"

Standing at the top of the cliff, Ellie is screaming and Aunt Karai looks like she might want to hit her. I'd laugh if my mother's shoe wasn't starting to come off. I clench my teeth, inching my hand farther down and around her calf.

"Mom!" I yell, but she's dead weight. Although, hopefully not actually dead.

My dad's voice is strangely calm, although winded, "Anton, you've got to wrap this around her." He drops a rope, with his free hand, toward my chin. "We've got to tie her off, so you can climb up me and Leo, and you've got to hurry, he can't hold us much longer."

"Raph!" Leo grinds out.

Blood is rushing to my head, my heart pounding. I've got my mom by her ankle off the side of a cliff. I've got my mom by her ankle…

"ANTONELLO!"

My arms are starting to shake, my wounded hand throbbing. "Dad, I think I broke her ankle!"

"Anton," dad breathes, "we can fix an ankle, but we can't get you another Mom."

"Raph!" Uncle Leo yells again, "Hurry!"

"Anton, look at me."

I swallow hard, blink back tears, stare at my unconscious mother.

"ANTONELLO, LOOK AT ME!"

My dad squeezes my ankle, and I open my eyes, look at him through my tears. "I'm sorry, Dad. I'm so sorry."

He shakes his head. "It's okay. You're going to be okay. Tie her off Anton, like your Uncle Mikey taught you when you were little." He lets out a low, begrudging chuckle. "Go on."

I shift my mom to my good hand, using my damaged one to pull the rope down and tie a big loop around her legs then let it drop down to her waist but I haven't pulled it tight yet when dad tells me, "You've got her. Now, let her leg go and hold onto the rope. It's okay. I've got her tied to me too."

"But it's loose, she'll fall through."

"She's not going anywhere Anton, and neither are you. Let her go. Trust me, son."

As I lift each finger, from her already swelling ankle, she drops feet over head, and I'm sure I've screwed up. Then my dad flips his wrist and somehow the rope is under her arms snug, and she's suspended right beside me.

"Anton," dad grunts.

"Yeah, Dad," I croak, wondering why I didn't just come to them with all of this. How I ever thought I could do this on my own.

"I need you to pass your Mom to me then get yourself upright so you can climb."

I grab onto Mom, pull her under one arm and pass her to him. With one arm holding her, the other hand gripping me, he manages to swing me until I'm upright. I climb over him, and my poor uncle Leo who looks like his arms about to slip from its socket.

I can't find my voice to speak to my uncle, can't find the courage to look him in the eye either. My mom almost died. Could still be in a lot of trouble from her asthma. Her asthma! As I pull myself up from the cliff, rolling onto solid ground, I spy her bag. "Aunt Karai, her inhaler. She was having an asthma attack!"

Karai's face pales. "Anton, if she's not conscious, trying to draw air in on her own, I don't know if it will work."

Oh, god. She's dead. I've killed my mom. I look at a weeping, pregnant Ellie. I've never felt more like a failure. I'm a stupid kid, and a downright screw up. I've failed Ellie. Killed my own mom. How can I ever fix this?

My dad and uncle lay my mom out. My dad presses the side of his head against her chest, curses under his breath and starts compressions, blows in her mouth, pumps again.

I know her ribs are breaking… I can hear them. The sound is all I can hear, like wood splitting.

He blows in her mouth again.

His eyes are pinned to her face, pleading. He looks like someone's sucking the life out of him.

And I hate it.

I hate myself.

I did this.

He pumps again, more ribs surrendering to what I know is only a fraction of his strength.

Leo's hand comes down on dads shoulder.

Dad growls, swipes him away, resumes compressions.

Crack. Crack…

He blows in her mouth again…

Crack…

Gasp.

And it is the sweetest sound I have heard in my short life.

My dad thinks so too, yanks her up to him, tears streaming down his cheeks. He clings to her, color returning to his face as much as hers. And I think, watching the way he holds her, that look in his eyes when he thought he'd lost her… that maybe I don't know the first thing about love.

Except maybe that I recognize it when I see it.

Mom is this tiny, frail thing that kicks serious ass. Uncle Donnie told me she has animal DNA, cheetah speed and eyes like a hawk. I've seen her use both, think maybe she has nine lives for all the stories we kids have been told.

Dad's a mammoth, could crush her into dust, yet she's like his brakes. He's able to press her hard but not hurt her, and that takes more control than I think I could ever hope of having.

Or maybe control like that, comes from loving someone so much. So much that your own body, your heart, and your soul know your limits and the other persons, and because you hold them so dear you're able to contain your strength.

Or maybe the strength comes from them. I look at Dad, still clutching my mom, her bleary gray eyes opening to look at him and she manages to crack a smile. A relieved laugh slips by him and he presses his mask to her brow.

I guess when all that comes together, two really can become one.


	16. Chapter 16

**Zoe**

Every breath hurts. Every inhale is like a thousand knives digging into my ribs, every exhale is those same blades ripping free ready to drive in deeper. I'm limp in Raph's arms, trying to remember what happened. Tears streak his cheeks, so whatever it is it can't be good.

I offer him a pathetic smile. It's all the comfort I can summon right now, sure that if I move anything it's going to hurt worse. He's holding me close again. I can feel his pulse pumping in the artery of his neck. Racing.

What happened?

Images blink in and out. The edge of the forest. A glimpse of Anton…

Antonello.

I was chasing him.

Lost him.

"Anton?" I push out, feel like every rib I have must be broken. "Ungh, why do I feel like you hit me and didn't hold back?"

I gasp from the effort it takes to make a sentence, and speak, with my voice muffled into Raph's neck.

But he hears me. He laughs and the sound is feeble, coarse. His voice is scratchy, the way he sounds when something actually scares him. And in all the years I've known him very little can do that. "You decided to go skydivin'. Anton, Leo and I pulled you back." He guides me back in his hands, gently as if he knows exactly where the breaks are. "I wasn't about to let ya go."

"Asthma, Zoe. It was your asthma." Leo offers me a gentle smile, and a sensible explanation, seeing as his brother isn't quite himself at the moment.

I nod then try to pull my feet under me and feel pain shoot straight up my left leg.

"Agh!" I gasp, causing a new wave of daggers to roll through my chest. I crumble in Raph's arms and he turns me, so my head falls against his plastron.

"I've got ya, Z. Just hang in there. I think there's enough pain meds in the first aid kit to get you upright. And I'll splint that ankle. We'll get you home. I may haveta carry ya half the way, but you'll make it."

We look at each other. My smile is sincere, his lopsided grin my favorite. We speak in unison. "Been through worse."

"Right, well, as your mother is injured, and your father is still reeling from her near death, I want to know," Karai wheels around reaches out and tugs forth one Hamato Antonello and friend. "What in the hell is all this about?"

Anton swallows, drags his toe in the dirt. Then he stops, heaves a sigh and looks me, then his father, in the eye. My heart is pounding, and it hurts. But more than the wretched pain of breathing into broken ribs is the fear that he's about to tell me—

"Ellie has been my best friend since I was twelve, when I started going on walks by myself." He looks at her, takes her hand in his and smiles.

Oh, god. Oh, god. Oh—

"She, uh— she was seeing this guy. He wasn't— he— hit her." Anton gives the girls hand a reassuring squeeze, but Ellie seems to shrink into herself.

He puts an arm around her, guides her to his side and she puts her head on his shoulder. "She finally told me everything, about a month ago. She told me she was going to have a baby and was afraid, he'd hurt it too." He blushes, rubs the back of his head with one hand. "I knew Uncle Donnie was planning our trip, and I wanted to help her get away from this guy. Her parents want her to marry him— the baby's dad."

"Why?" Karai blurts out.

"I'm Amish," Ellie blushes, points to her belly, tears rolling down her cheeks. "This isn't, I'm supposed to be a—" her lip trembles and she looks around helpless.

I shift in Raph's arms, struggle to my feet and hobble over to her.

I hold my arms out to the frail girl, far too skinny for as pregnant as she is, bruises splattering her arms and cheeks. And as I gather her up she manages to whisper to me, "My ex raped me. I'm not a dirty girl, I swear."

I hold her, stroking her hair, shushing her cries, the way I would if she were mine. She's someone's baby, after all, and her mother seems to have forgotten that.

Ellie sobs until she's got nothing left.

She lifts her head, wipes a dirty hand over red-rimmed eyes. "I can't go home. I am shunned if I do not marry him. And I won't. It's one thing to beat me, it's not happening to my baby."

"Anton," I wince. My body, heavy with injury, won't lend me the strength to speak, not to the lengths to get out what needs to be said. I sway and Raph is there for me to lean on.

I'm proud of him when he picks up right where I'd want him to.

"Antonello, why didn't you come to us in the first place? What made you think you could run away with a pregnant girl? Where were you going to go? How were you, who cannot get a job, going to provide a home and food and life for her?"

Okay, so he didn't say exactly what I was going to. But he's not screaming either.

Anton's weight shifts. "I-I was going to take her to the lair."

Raph snorts. "Antonello, first of all, you can't deliver a baby. Second, there's no electricity at the lair without Donatello to turn it on. Not to mention there's no food, no heat, nothing." Raph holds me up with one arm, leans over to look his son in the eye. "Look at me, Antonello."

Anton locks eyes with his father.

Raph shakes his head. "There's no daylight in a sewer. It's like living in a dungeon, it stinks, and it's dirty. You—have—no—idea. None."

Antonello's nostrils flare, his eyes reflecting the fire of his father's youth. "Maybe not, but I won't let anyone hurt her. She has nowhere to go, and we'll figure it out!"

Raph shakes his head again, and I hurt for Anton. Feel his helplessness creeping into my chest like cold water among the burning inferno of my fractured ribs.

"Son—" Raph begins but Anton cuts him off.

"No! You take care of mom and us! How do you do that?"

Raph's eyes narrow, his voice comes out low, "It's not me that provides for us financially, Antonello. It's our family. It's Uncle Donnie, Uncle Mikey. It's Aunt Karai, Aunt April, and even Aunt Exodus. Your Mom, me, and Uncle Leo, we teach you the art, how to survive, how to cook, how to clean, how to take care of one another, how to be the best people you can be. The life you have is the work of your entire family. There are no weak links here. Not unless, you want to be one."

Anton looks away. "I want to help her."

Raph, please. Please, you're doing so well, bring it home. Bring him home. Make this right. Please.

Raphael lets out a sigh of relief, reaches out a hand and rubs Anton's head affectionately. "Good. That's what we do. So, what does a Hamato do when they need help and can't do it alone?"

Now you sound like _your_ dad, Raph.

Antonello drags his eyes from the ground. They're beautiful, familiar eyes, glossy, bright and green as spring grass. He looks at Ellie, squeezes her hand, and glances at me. "I'm sorry, for all of this, Mom."

I smile at him then motion him with my head, towards his dad. Anton meets his father's waiting gaze. "Dad, I need help, helping my friend."

Raph grins. "You're out of luck Son, the inn is full."

Anton blanches.

"Raph," I warn, seeing Ellie pale.

Raph grumbles then looks at Ellie. "Do you have any family you can stay with?"

Ellie chews on her lip. "My aunt left the parish a few years ago. If I can find her, she might take me in."

Leo nods. "That is something easily done, and from home. Let's get this family back down this mountain."


	17. Chapter 17

**Zoe**

It's summer before Ellie comes to visit, her newborn in tow. It took about that long for my ribs to heal. My ankle didn't take as long, but its back to the way it was before the surgeries they did to it after my head injury. It's creaky, pops and aches when it rains.

I'm perched on a rock by the watering hole, watching Anton flirt with Ellie. She's not shutting him down any, and I know his dad has noticed too. He's eighteen now, and they've known each other a long time. She wants to stay for the summer, and while we've agreed, she has her own space in our living room. What they do when they sneak off, that's between them. But what they do in our house, one with five twelve year-olds, one thirteen, and one fifteen—well when they find it in themselves to announce to the family that they're official, then we'll revisit the idea of them sharing a room and her staying... indefinitely.

Her baby girl is sleeping beside me, a sweet, blonde hair, blue-eyed thing just like her mom. I look on her little face, remembering the first time I laid eyes on Antonello, watching him sleep on his shell with his little fingers curled, little baby breaths, and the smell of baby wash… my heart flutters. Sometimes I miss those days.

Andrea squeals as Anton launches her and Ellie into the water. He's so big now that they look like two little dolls when he gathers them under each arm to shove them in deeper amid their giggling, shrieking protests.

Drea' likes Ellie a lot. I think she talks to her about things, Rachel and Midori aren't interested in, or she doesn't want them to know about. Like what happened last year in the mountain. Andrea's not scared to walk in the woods, and since hearing she'd actually broke a staff on her attacker, Raph's loosened the reins. Thing is while she isn't scared, she's a hell of a lot more cautious. I worry she may not trust humans, and have my doubts about what all she endured. But she seems happy, doesn't ever make the face Ellie does when she's left alone to her thoughts for too long.

Hisao, Gray, and Noah jump off the waterfall like little bombs, 1-2-3. Just behind them, emerging like the Lion King, Michelangelo stands victorious, with Rachel and Midori each under an arm, screaming their heads off, begging him not to— jump.

Exodus, Karai, and April are sunbathing. Beside Karai, Leo is reading something, probably battle tactics or something… is that a romance novel? Hey, is that one of mine?

Donnie has taken Kei on a nature hike. They were discussing seasons in different hemispheres as they disappeared in the woods but I suspect—

A large arm hooks around my waist, lips ghost my neck. "Ya know what my brainiac brother is teachin' our son?"

His breath tickles my skin and my shoulder rises toward my ear, but he moves his head from side-to-side pushing it back down, plants his lips over his favorite scar, the one he gave me.

"I don't know, they were pretending to discuss seasons in different—" my mind is stalling, as his lips press against my skin then his teeth graze my collarbone.

"Nah, it ain't that, it's somethin' I can't even say right." He presses his mouth to my ear, his voice resonating in my chest. "You talk to D this time, he ain't listenin' ta me." He reaches down grabs my hand. "Come on' we're takin' a walk."

"What's with all the Brooklyn coming out in you today, Raph?"

He doesn't answer, pulling me to my feet.

"Hey, I'm babysitting, I can't just—"

"The hell you can't." He cuts me off, turns his head towards our son. "Antonello, whose baby is this?"

Anton freezes mid-splash, Ellie's head whips up, her eyes wide, mouth gaping.

Drea' is grinning. "Way to put him on the spot, Dad."

Karai snickers and Leo, never looking up from his book, clears his throat.

"Mind your own business Drea', or I'll appoint you as babysitter," Raph motions her on with his hand, looking at our son again, and I see the gleam in his eye.

Ellie is trying to form words, but Raph still intimidates her and he knows it.

Anton's eyes dart from the baby, to Ellie then to his Dad, and back. He looks at the sleeping infant. "She's mine."

Ellie seems to melt into the water, tears rushing her eyes.

I squeeze Raph's hand, feel him return it. He tips his chin to Antonello. "Well, I'm taking your mom, so come take care of your daughter."

Anton scrambles out of the water, leaving Ellie with the biggest smile on her face. Her eyes flicker to Raph, then to Antonello. She wades to the shore, taking a seat beside Anton, and Raph guides me away.

We walk in silence until our family is well out of earshot, then I step in front of him, popping up on my toes but still not reaching his shoulder. "Did you, just, give our son your blessing?"

Raph grumbles something, clears his throat, then looks out over my head, his eyes sweeping our surroundings. He wraps an arm around me, guides me downhill. I glance around, noticing a familiar flat rock, and the deep end of river. The sun plays on the water, in shimmering little ripples that roll along, the same way our years together have. There's a little disruption now and then, but smooth waters for the most part.

His lips find my neck again, and my chin tips to the sky, opening the space up to him. His hands slide along my leg over my sundress, he squeezes my thigh the thin fabric bunching under his hand. He slips his fingers between my legs. My blood heats, thrums against my insides, my thighs pinching together. I hum, a low inviting—

He chuckles, nips my collarbone. "Z, you're purring."

"Mmmm, yes-I-am," I breathe him in, exhale nothing out.

He's mine and I am his. I reach for the zipper on my dress, work it down, look in his pine green eyes and let it fall away.

Then find myself waist deep in the river, pinned to the rock wall on the far side, in one short breath. Air rushes in, and I'm dizzy, heart skipping, my legs wrapping as far around him as they will go.

Our lips meet, in sweet, tender kisses, then rougher ones, the kind that stir the fire within, keeping us both alive with the heat it creates. He hooks a finger inside my thong.

"Raph," I whine against his lips, "I'm going to run out of—"

"Uh-uh, you forgot them, not me," he runs his lips up and down my collarbone, and with a flick of his wrist, they're gone, shredded and left to drift to the bottom of the river. In their place his tail curls up, cupping my sex as he emerges pressing hard against me.

His plastron is against my breast, and with a single thrust we merge, water swishing around us. The stone pressing against my back is smooth, cold, hard, as unforgiving as the natural armor he bears that pins me to it. But I don't care. Anything else would feel foreign.

My fingers slide over every rippling muscle, tracing the ridges and dips of a life hard earned and fought for. His lips caress mine in sync with every thrust, the slow torment of feeling him leaving me, like a breath exhaled, only to fill me up again, so deep if our souls could touch they'd meet. His tongue sweeps mine, and he presses me harder against the wall, my inhale, my breath, my air, my friend, my love, my life.

Out, leaving me straining to pull him back, his chuckle a torturous sound that strums the chords that bind us together, for I cannot move him, not unless he—wants—me—to.

In, we are one, whole, complete, fulfilled, his tongue sweeps, he pushes, my heart soars, he reaches, draws out and I find my eyes wet with tears, my lip trembling against his. "Don't ever leave me Raphael," I beg with a terrible knot in my throat, "I don't ever want to be without you."

But he won't hear it, doesn't want to think that far ahead. Thrusts harder to distract me, and I submit because I don't want to think about that day either. Right now, with him, this second, this breath, this life, it's more than either of us could've ever hoped for. A battle fought, a war won, my warrior, his lips work mine, his hand pulling me into him.

He shifts his lower plastron, rubs me in places that make my toes curl, my hips bucking against him, he drives me up, then down, in long firm strokes that reach within me, at the same time outside me, water splashing, stone and keratin, I open my mouth to scream and he catches my lips with his, right before his final push.

My fingers curl around his biceps, my head sliding down to his thick shoulder and I grace his scarred green flesh with tiny kisses, tears slipping off the bridge of my nose. I don't want to think about tomorrow. I'll just hold onto him for every day in between, now and… the end.


End file.
